Chansky's Notebook: Local Boy Makes Good

Ben Griffin is the first repeat Tar Heel golf All-American in 10 years.

Chapel Hill’s Griffin shot an even-par 72 for the third straight day to finish in a tie for 11th place at the 2017 NCAA Men’s Golf Championships Monday in Sugar Grove, Illinois.

Griffin missed Tuesday’s stroke play final by the top eight qualifiers through Monday but still earned the coveted All-American honors for the second straight year, Carolina’s first men’s golfer since Kevin O’Connell in 2008. He tied Virginia’s Jimmy Stanger as the low finisher at the NCAA Championship among ACC players. Griffin’s 11th place was the best by a Tar Heel at the NCAAs since Max Harris was sixth and Don Hill was 10th in 1999.

The junior bogeyed the first hole Monday, birdied the second, then made par the next nine holes. He birdied No. 12 to go to 1-under on the day, before dropping shots at 16 and 17. He then birdied the 525-yard, par-5 18th hole for the fourth time in as many days to finish at even par for the round.

Griffin was the two-time North Carolina High School champion while competing for coach Bobby Neville at East Chapel Hill, winning the state as a freshman and junior. He learned the game at the Chapel Hill Country Club, where the son of Cowan and Erika Griffin grew to his current height of 6-foot-1.

UNC freshman Austin Hitt shot 3-under-par Sunday, but the Tar Heels finished 18th and did not advance to Monday’s fourth round of stroke play. Juniors Jose Montaño and William Register shot 77s on Sunday to finish at 6-over-222 and 10-over-226, respectively, and senior Zach Martin shot a 79 to close at 23 over.

Griffin was one of nine individuals on teams outside the top 15 who advanced to Monday’s fourth round. He opened the tourney on Friday with a 2-under-par 70 then shot 72-72-72 over the final three days to finish at 2-under-286, nine shots behind medalist Braden Thornberry of Ole Miss.

Hitt, who also shot 3-under-par in the third round of the NCAA Stanford Regional, had 4 birdies and eagled the 18th hole to shoot 69. Carolina finished 54 holes at 11-over-par 875, four shots out of 15th place.

The top 15 teams advanced to Monday’s final round of stroke play, and the top eight teams after 72 holes advanced to match play beginning today to decide the national champion.

(Photo by UNC)

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Chansky’s Notebook: Local Boy Makes Good

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