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Senior golfer Jake Katz finished his stellar collegiate career with back-to-back birdies and posted a 2-over-par (76) in the final round of the NCAA Regionals on May 21 at the par-72 Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech. Katz jumped up 10 spots on the leaderboard over the final 18 holes to finish in a tie for 42nd place among 75 golfers. He shot 76-78-74=228 (+12). The regional featured 13 teams and 10 individuals.

Regional winner Duke, runner-up Georgia Tech, Oklahoma, LSU and Kent State all advanced to the NCAA Finals, which begin May 31 at the Karsten Creek Golf Club at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla. Coastal Carolina’s Sebastian Soderberg (-4) gained the individual spot into the Finals.

Katz, who earned Binghamton’s first-ever individual bid to the NCAA Regionals, began his day on the back nine, and played his first nine holes at 3-over-par. He birdied the par-5 12th hole but bogeyed three of his first four holes. He steadied himself, however, and parred 10 of his next 11 holes. After a bogey on No. 7, Katz birdied the par-4 eighth hole and then on his final collegiate hole, birdied the par-5 ninth hole to tidy up a 74.

In a sparkling regular season, Katz defeated more than 95% of his opponents and posted a staggering 899-37-18 record in head-to-head competition. He collected nine top-10 finishes, five runner-up performances and an individual title at the Cornell Invitational.

A two-time America Sky Player of the Year, Katz was selected as one of 45 players to receive an individual NCAA bid. He was the third individual chosen out of 10 to compete at the Virginia Tech site.