Bucs set single-season program team records in birdies, eagles, par or better rounds and scoring average

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (May 28, 2023) – A championship run was not in the books for the ETSU men’s golf team in 2023. 

Facing the gauntlet of the Raptor Course at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., the Buccaneers concluded their 2022-23 season following third round play at the NCAA Championship. Making the championship for a third straight year and 20th time in program history, the Bucs missed the cut and finished 29th overall with a 54-hole score of 46-over-par 886. 

Sophomore Algot Kleen (Fiskebackskil, Sweden) led the Blue & Gold for the tournament as he finished tied for 74th at 9-over-par 219, while freshman Matty Dodd-Berry (Wirral, England) and red-shirt sophomore Mats Ege (Kristiansand, Norway) provided the Bucs with their low scores on Sunday. The Buccaneer duo both posted scores of even-par 70, marking the first time an ETSU player shot par or better at Grayhawk since Jack Rhea shot a 70 in the second round of the 2021 championship. Dodd-Berry finished tied for 74th with Kleen and Ege finished tied for 81st at 10-over-par 220. 

Illinois continued to hold the team lead, but 2021 national champion Pepperdine stole the headlines in round three. The third-ranked Illini posted a 4-under 276 on Sunday and sit 6-under-par 834 for the tournament, while the eighth-ranked Waves fired an 11-under-par 269 to move into second-place at 3-under-par 837. The 11-under set the lowest scoring record over the last three years where Grayhawk has hosted the national championships. Ironically, Pepperdine held the previous low at 9-under 271, set in 2021. 

The top 15 teams made the cut and advanced to Monday’s final round of stroke play. The cut was set at 26-over with Ohio State and Texas Tech both falling on that number. The Buckeyes and Red Raiders will hold a playoff on Monday morning to determine the final team to continue its season. 

For the third straight round, Georgia Tech’s Ross Steelman – the No. 15 ranked golfer – held the individual lead as he carded a 2-under 68 on Sunday, moving his 54-hole score to 9-under-par 201. Steelman will carry a four-shot lead into Monday’s final round to determine the individual champion as North Carolina’s Dylan Menante – the No. 38 ranked golfer – and Ohio State’s Neal Shipley are both at at 5-under-par 205. 

Sunday’s round marked the lowest individual scoring average of the tournament. The third round scoring average was 72.26, which was a full stroke lower than Saturday’s second round mark of 73.29. 

With ETSU’s season coming to an end on Sunday, there were a plethora of highlights for the Blue & Gold this 2022-23 campaign. Below are the top moments from this men’s golf season.

• Three team tournament wins
  • Southern Conference Championship (third straight win, 23rd SoCon crown)
  • Defended its title at Hootie at Bulls Bay with a new tournament record 40-under-par 824
  • Won the General Hackler Championship for its first win of the season with a score of 24-under-par 840 – defeating six teams ranked in the top 50

• Three individual tournament wins
  • Algot Kleen won his first collegiate tournament with a victory at the Puerto Rico Classic with a 13-under-par 203
  • Mats Ege won his first two collegiate tournaments this season – the first coming at the General Hackler Championship (13-under-par 203) and the second coming at the SoCon Championship where he set his lowest 54-hole collegiate score at 14-under-par 202

• Set team single-season program records low round, low round vs. par, 36-hole total, and 54-hole total
  • The low round of 269 was set twice this season – first in the opening round of the Ka’anapali Classic Collegiate and the second coming in the opener of the Hootie at Bulls Bay
  • The low round vs. par was also set with the 19-under 269 at Hootie at Bulls Bay
  • ETSU’s low 36-hole total was set earlier this month at the Las Vegas Regional where the Bucs were at 29-under-par 574
  • The Bucs’ 54-hole total also came at the Las Vegas Regional where ETSU finished at 43-under-par 821 … The Blue & Gold punched their ticket to the NCAA Championship after beating Northwestern in a playoff (-1 to +2) 

• ETSU set single-season program team records in birdies (688), eagles (23), par or better rounds (28) and scoring average (282.71)

• The Bucs totaled eight top-5 finishes this season, including six coming this spring
  • After posting six top-five finishes in eight spring tournaments, ETSU was ranked No. 20 in the Golfweek/Sagarin Spring Season Ratings

• Mats Ege set single-season program records in stroke average (70.0) and birdies made (177)

• Mats Ege was named SoCon Player of the Year and Matty Dodd-Berry was tabbed SoCon Freshman of the Year
  • In total, ETSU had three all-SoCon players – Mats Ege, Algot Kleen and Archie Davies
  • Ege (April) and Kleen (February) were also both named SoCon Players of the Month
  • Ege was tabbed SoCon Golfer of the Week on March 15
  • Kleen was named SoCon Golfer of the Week on Feb. 15 

• ETSU also excelled in the classroom with the Bucs generating a 3.485 cumulative GPA
  • The Bucs had five members named to the Dean’s List (3.50+ GPA)
  • The Bucs also had three members named to the Honor Roll (3.0-3.499 GPA)
  • Archie Davies and Algot Kleen received 2022-23 Academic All-District honors from College Sports Communicators (CSC)
  • Algot Kleen was named SoCon Student-Athlete of the Week on March 29
  • Mats Ege was named SoCon Student-Athlete of the Week on April 26

For more information on Buccaneer men’s golf, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the men’s golf page.