ISU Among The Nation's Elite In Collegiate Golf

AMES, Iowa – The No. 45 Iowa State men's golf team returns to the NCAA Championship for the second time in the last four years.

The Cyclones are among the elite 30 teams in collegiate golf thanks to a record-setting performance at the NCAA Austin Regional last week.

ISU finished third at the NCAA Austin Regional after carding a school-record 263 in the final round, shattering the previous mark by a whopping seven strokes. The Cyclones went 21-under on the final day, counting scores of 61 (Nick Voke), 66 (Ruben Sondjaja), 68 (Denzel Ieremia) and 68 (Tripp Kinney).

Voke's school-record 61 propelled him to medalist honors, claiming the title by five strokes with a school-record 199. It also bested the former course record at the UT Golf Club by four shots and equaled the lowest score in relation to par in NCAA Division I this season.

A native of Auckland, New Zealand, Voke is one of the greatest players in school history. His win at the NCAA Austin Regional, ISU's first in NCAA postseason play, was the fifth of his career to break the school record (Scott Fernandez had four from 2012-15).

Voke, who ranks No. 45 nationally by Golfweek, carries a 71.03 stroke average this season, which is on pace to break Fernandez' mark of 71.27 (2013). He also owns ISU's career scoring mark at 71.84.

Qualifying for the NCAA finals in his final season is especially gratifying for Voke. Voke was a freshman when the Cyclones last made the NCAA Championships in 2014 and was a key cog on that team. However, a broken collarbone suffered in a skateboarding accident kept him out of the NCAA postseason.

This was Voke's last chance. He wasn't going to be denied.

"I remember in 2014 I went to see the guys off at the Ames Airport because I wasn't able to go," Voke said. "It was a really hard moment for me. There was a lot of reflection for me in the next four months when I was recovering. This was my last go at it. To be able to make it to Nationals along with my teammates is truly unbelievable."

Voke's partner the last four seasons has been Sondjaja, forming one of the greatest tandems in school history.

A native of Sydney, Australia, the senior tied for 10^th at the NCAA Austin Regional, carding rounds of 73-72-66 (211). It was the 12^th career top-10 finish for Sondjaja, who ranks second on the team in stroke average at 71.86.

Iowa State will be making its eighth appearance at the NCAA Men's Golf Championship (1939, 1940, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953, 2014, 2017). Iowa State has had a team or player compete in the NCAA Championships three times since head coach Andrew Tank took over the reins of the program in 2010.

Nate McCoy qualified as an individual in 2012, tying for 29^th at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif. ISU placed 25^th at the 2014 NCAA finals at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kan.

The 2017 NCAA Men's Golf Championship will be held at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill., May 26-31. Since its opening in 1999, the course has played host to the 2009 Solheim Cup, a 2014 NCAA Regional, the 2015 Palmer Cup and the 2015 Western Amateur.

For more information on Rich Harvest Farms, click here.

All 30 teams and six individuals (156 total golfers) competing will play 54 holes of stroke play on May 26-28, after which the top 15 teams and nine individuals not on an advancing team will be determined. That is followed by a final day of stroke play on May 29 to determine the top eight teams that will advance to match play as well as the 72-hole individual champion.

Match play competition is May 30-31. The Golf Channel will provide live coverage of the event from May 29-31.

Tee times for the first two rounds have been set. ISU begins its block on Friday (May 26) at 8:35 a.m. CT on hole 10 and will tee off at 1:55 p.m. CT on Saturday (May 27) on hole 1.

2017 NCAA Championship teams (30) – in order by Golfweek ranking
#1 USC, #2 LSU, #3 Vanderbilt, #4 Oklahoma State, #5 Baylor, #6 Illinois, #7 Stanford, #9 Oregon, #10 Texas, #12 Kent State, #13 Clemson, #14 Oklahoma, #16 UNLV, #18 Duke, #19 Virginia, #20 Auburn, #21 Mississippi, #23 Arizona State, #24 Florida State, #28 North Carolina, #29 Pepperdine, #31 Kennesaw State, #32 Purdue, #33 Alabama, #35 Lipscomb, #41 Jacksonville, #42 New Mexico, #45 Iowa State, #46 Penn State, #50 UCF

Ticket Information: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2017-ncaa-division-i-mens-and-womens-golf-championships-tickets-28349306539?aff=NCAACOMTickets

Live scoring link: http://www.ncaa.com/sports/golf-men/d1