The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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66 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY TIM PEELER O ne stroke. That's all that separated the NC State men's golf team and LSU at last year's NCAA New Haven (Conn.) Regional. The Wolfpack, led by then-junior Carter Page and senior James Chapman, played well in the first two rounds but fell back on the final day to finish tied for sixth in the 14-team region, a mere stroke behind the Tigers. Two weeks later, LSU won its fifth NCAA men's golf championship. "Everything could have changed if we had saved ourselves one stroke," vet- eran Wolfpack coach Richard Sykes said. "There might have been a different national champion." The Wolfpack didn't perform poorly in the regional. Page had the best three-round total of his entire career, and Chapman did as well. It was an impressive bounce- back season after the 2014 team missed an ■ PREVIEW MEN'S GOLF ■ Key Tournaments Palmetto Intercollegiate , March 7-8 — Played at world-class Palmetto Golf Club, the 19th- annual Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate always features one of the college golf's strongest fields. It's the Pack's first trip back to the Palmetto since 2013, when it finished third in the event. Wolfpack Spring Open, April 16-17 — The final tune-up before the annual slate of postseason tournaments will be on the familiar grounds of the Lon- nie Poole Golf Course. The Pack won last year's event behind the play of individual medalist David Cooke. ACC Championships, April 22-24 — NCSU, which has finished ninth in each of the last four confer- ence championship tournaments, will be looking to move up when the event is held at The Old North State Club in New Longdon, N.C., for the 21st consecutive year. NICE MIX Returning Veterans And Talented Rookies Could Help The Pack Take The Next Step Senior David Cooke is the only player on the roster that has won a college tournament while suiting up for the Pack — he earned medalist honors at the Wolfpack Intercollegiate and the Wolfpack Spring Open last year. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS