SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Furman's Sam Lape will open play Friday at the 2023 NCAA Championship, which will be contested May 26-29 at the par-72, 7,289 yard Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Lape will tee off on No. 1 beginning at 8:22 a.m. PT (11:22 a.m. ET) on Friday and will play the opening round in a group that includes Luke O'Neill of Kansas State and Will King of Kansas.  He is set to tee off on No. 10 at 1:42 p.m. PT (4:42 p.m. ET) in Saturday's second round. 

A native of Atlanta, Ga., Lape fired a final-round 64 to finish second, the highest regional finish in Furman men's golf history, at the NCAA Salem Regional and claim the region's individual bid to the championship.  He posted rounds of 65-72-64=201 to finish 15-under par at the event.  Lape, who is the first Paladin to compete at the NCAA Championship since Kirk Satterfield finished fifth at the 2001 NCAA East Regional to advance to the finals, holds a 71.6 stroke average over 36 rounds this season.  He tied for fifth at the SoCon Championships for the second year in a row and has five top-20 finishes during his senior campaign.

"It is quite an accomplishment to get to the NCAA Championship in Scottsdale, and we could not be prouder of Sam," said Furman head coach Matt Davidson.  "But I also know that he is playing great right now and has a lot of momentum.  This is a great opportunity for him this week at Grayhawk, so I know he wants even more and is looking to contend.  From my knowledge of the course, it is one that should suit Sam very well, with how well he drives the ball and how high he can hit his approach shots.  It will be important for him to stay in the moment, and I know he will embrace any challenge that comes his way.  I can't wait for Friday, and to watch him compete."

A field of 30 teams and six individuals will play 54 holes of stroke play over the course of three days, beginning Friday and continuing through Sunday.  The top 15 teams and nine individuals not on an advancing team will then play one additional round of stroke play on Monday, May 29.  An individual champion will be crowned after 72 holes of competition. 

Live scoring of the NCAA Championships will be available at www.golfstat.com or by logging onto www.furmanpaladins.com.  The Golf Channel will provide prime time coverage of the tournament starting on Monday, May 29.

Teams:

1-Vanderbilt

2-North Carolina

3-Illinois

4-Arizona State

5-Texas Tech

6-Stanford

7-Florida State

8-Pepperdine

9-Florida

10-Oklahoma

11-Georgia Tech

12-Auburn

13-Texas A&M

14-Alabama

15-Virginia

16-Texas

17-Mississippi State

18-Oregon

19-Colorado State

20-Ohio State

21-Georgia

22-Arkansas

23-Baylor

24-Duke

25-East Tennessee State

26-Brigham Young

27-San Francisco

28-Chattanooga

29-New Mexico

30-Colorado

Individuals:

1 Drew Salyers, Indiana

2 Jonas Baumgartner, Oklahoma State

3 Riley Lewis, Loyola Marymount

4 Luke O'Neill, Kansas State

5 Sam Lape, Furman

6 Will King, Kansas