LOUISVILLE. Ky. — West Virginia’s odds of advancing through its NCAA golf regional took a hit Tuesday, with a 9-over 293 composite round that dropped the Mountaineers into eighth place.
Only the top five teams qualify for the national championships.
West Virginia stands 11 over through two rounds and will enter Wednesday’s third and final round eight shots out of fifth.
Auburn is the runaway leader at 15-under, followed by three Big 12 teams: Oklahoma State (-7), Baylor (even) and Iowa State (+2). The host Louisville (+3) resides in fifth.
Also in front of the Mountaineers are sixth-place North Florida (+9) and Arizona (+10).
Under the NCAA regional format, each team features five golfers. Only the top four count toward that day’s team score.
Max Sear rebounded from opening-round struggles to 1-over par 72 on Day 2. Matthew Sharpstene was 2-over, while Logan Perkins and Etienne Papineau each shot 3-over.
Papineau overcame a brutal start on the back nine at the University of Louisville Golf Club. He double-bogeyed No. 18 and No. 1, before rebounding with three birdies over the final six holes. That included a chip-in on No. 6, and a 4-iron approach on the ninth hole that set up a 10-foot putt.
“I stayed patient and tried to make the best out of it,” Papineau said. “I was 6-over through 10, but then I just battled back.”
West Virginia dropped Philipp Matlari’s 5-over 76.
The Mountaineers will be paired with Arizona and Arkansas State for the final 18 holes Wednesday.
