TCU Begins Postseason Play Thursday
5/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
FORT WORTH, Texas - The TCU men's golf team will begin postseason play as the No. 6 seed at the NCAA Washington Regional on Thursday at Gold Mountain Golf Club in Bremerton, Wash.
The Horned Frogs earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Regional Championships, marking the program's 26th-straight postseason berth, joining only Clemson and UNLV to achieve the feat under the same head coach.
The 54-hole event will be played Thursday through Saturday at the par-72, 7,115-yard course. Joining TCU in the field of 16 is No. 6 South Carolina, No. 12 Washington, No. 17 USC, No. 18 Baylor, No. 30 UAB, No. 43 Iowa State, No. 44 Sam Houston State, Michigan, UC-Davis, VCU, Pepperdine, Cleveland State and South Dakota.
The top-five finishes from each of the nation's six regional sites will advance to compete at the NCAA Championship, which will be held May 29 through June 3 at Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Fla. In addition to those teams, the top individual finisher not on one of the advancing squads will also earn a bid to compete at nationals.
The Horned Frogs feature a veteran lineup this weekend with seniors Julien Brun and Andrew Presley, junior Paul Barjon and sophomores Chelso Barrett and Giulio Castagnara, as all five competitors have NCAA postseason experience.
Brun enters his fourth postseason with the Frogs, having posted finishes of first, fifth and sixth in his previous NCAA Regional outings. The Antibes, France, native has been the top finisher for the Frogs in the last four tournaments and has earned a 70.83 stroke average over the last 12 rounds.
Barrett is no stranger to the Gold Mountain Golf Club, having reached the finals of the 2011 U.S. Amateur against 2015 Masters Champion Jordan Spieth.
TCU will attempt to return to the NCAA Championship for the fourth time in the last six years and the 14th time overall in Montigel's tenure.
TCU Lineup
Julien Brun
• Claimed the individual title at the NCAA San Antonio Regional a year ago and has finished in the top 10 in each regional appearance of career.
• Holds the top three single-season scoring averages in school history (2012-13: 70.31; 2011-12: 70.51; 2013-14: 70.63).
• Matched his career low with an 8-under 64 in the final round in Hawaii; the round ties for the second lowest at TCU since at least 1994.
• Posted three tournament titles last season to increase his school record to nine career victories.
• Competed at the PGA Tour's Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial Country Club last May.
• Holds a program record with three first-team All-America selections.
Andrew Presley
• Competed in two previous NCAA Regionals with LSU.
• Has earned six top-20 showings, including three top-10 finishes this season.
• Named to 2015 Big 12 All-Championship Team after 10th-place showing.
• Finished fourth overall in his TCU debut at the Carmel Cup with a 5-under 211.
• Registered two sub-70 rounds in last action at The Goodwin, including career-low 65 in opening round.
• Holds team-best 71.18 stroke average in final rounds this season.
• Played in 36 tournaments in three seasons at LSU with seven top-five finishes and two titles.
Giulio Castagnara
• Posted second top-20 finish of season at Big 12 Championship by closing play with rounds of 70 and 72.
• Earned two victories in match play event at Red Raider Shootout against two top-20 programs.
• Named All-Big 12 Academic First-Team selection.
• Has competed in all 11 tournaments, posting a 73.53 stroke average.
• Registered two sub-70 rounds for top-25 finish The Goodwin.
• Posted top-20 finish at Desert Intercollegiate, highlighted by opening-round 71.
Chelso Barrett
• Returns to Gold Mountain Golf Club, site of his runner-up finish to Jordan Spieth at the 2011 U.S. Junior Amateur.
• Has finished in top 20 in eight of 11 tournaments this season, including three top-10 showings.
• Has registered 14 rounds of par or better.
• Ranked second on the squad as a freshman with 73.76 stroke average.
• Earned Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team honors for ninth-place finish as a freshman.
Paul Barjon
• Makes third NCAA Regional appearance with previous showings of ninth and 11th.
• Finished in second place at the Desert Intercollegiate to help lead TCU to the tournament title.
• Set TCU single-season record with nine eagles last season and ranks second all-time with 15 career eagles, just one shy of tying school record.
• Posted back-to-back rounds of 66 to claim first tournament win at Stanford as a freshman while setting school record with 54-hole total of 199.
Players Mentioned
