Missouri golfer Jace Long prowled the NCAA Southwest Regional course Saturday in Ocala, Fla., on a desperate mission to reach the roaring plains of the NCAA Championship. With a swing into the face of MU golf history, Long extended his journey to one final trip to greener pastures.
Long put forth one of the most immaculate individual performances in Tigers history, firing a school-record-tying, 10-under-par 62. The Dixon, Mo. native utilized a fast start (29 on the first nine holes), and a daily tally of nine birdies, an eagle and just one bogey to qualify for the National Championship in Stillwater, Okla., from May 31 to June 4.
“I was almost in tears,” Long said of becoming the first Tiger golfer since John Utley in 1990 to qualify for the NCAA Championship. “It’s something I’ll never forget.”
The day’s memories included entrances into the MU record book through multiple avenues. Long’s score of 62 tied teammate Stuart Ballingall’s school record score set in the opening round of the Jackrabbit Invitational in March. Long also became the first MU golfer ever to win an NCAA Regional.
As the accolades added to a year’s worth of accomplishments, Long felt confident he had already made this season as successful as he could have expected.
“The overall goal for me this year was to be an All-American, finish in the top 50 (and) play in the National Championship,” said Long, who tied for NCAA Regional medalist honors with Augusta State’s Patrick Reed and North Carolina State’s Mitchell Sutton. “I’ve made all those goals and now it’s a matter of setting new ones.”
Despite the day’s success on a personal level, Long did see one goal fail to grow to fruition when his team fell two strokes short of Arkansas for the fifth and final qualifying spot for teams to play for the NCAA Championship. Although the team score of 274 was good enough for a Missouri postseason record, the program’s highest finish since 2005 was not enough to qualify for the final dance.
“It’s bittersweet,” Long said. “I really thought as a team we were in.”
Long’s teammates, however, found the day’s results to be elating nonetheless.
“It was almost as if the guys were more happy than I was,” Long said. “That means a lot to me, to know that they care.”
Looking forward Long has targeted the course at Stillwater as the next stop in his blossoming MU career. The sophomore’s method of preparation for his final swing of the season involves sticking to what he knows best with regards to the course itself.
“I’ve probably been around there 12 or 13 times,” he said. “It’s similar to Old Hawthorne, where we practice most of the time. It sets up well for me.”
And in sticking to his roots, Long’s approach to his final show remains merely to search within him to find what he’s capable of.
“I’m just going to go out there and have fun, no matter what happens,” Long said.
