SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Furman's Sam Lape (+16) fired a 1-under 69 Sunday to conclude play at the 2023 NCAA Championship, which is being contested this weekend at the par-70, 7,289 yard Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.

A senior from Atlanta, Ga., Lape teed off on No. 10 and birdied No. 16 to turn at 1-over.  He added birdies on No. 1 and No. 6 to finish the virtually flawless round, which featured 14 pars and three birdies.  Lape tied for 131st with a three-round total of 79-78-69=226.

A field of 30 teams and six individuals played 54 holes of stroke play from Friday through Sunday.  The top 15 teams and nine individuals not on an advancing team made the cut and will play one additional round of stroke play on Monday, and an individual champion will be crowned after 72 holes of competition

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, held a 71.6 stroke average over 36 rounds entering the NCAA finals.  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.