SIMPSONVILLE, Ky. — West Virginia’s odds of advancing through its NCAA golf regional took a hit Tuesday, with a 9-over 293 composite round that dropped the Mountaineers into eighth place.
Only the top five teams qualify for the national championships.
West Virginia stands 11-over through two rounds and will enter Wednesday’s third and final round eight shots out of fifth.
Auburn is the runaway leader at 15-under, followed by three Big 12 teams: Oklahoma State (-7), Baylor (even) and Iowa State (+2). The host Louisville (+3) resides in fifth.
Also in front of the Mountaineers are sixth-place North Florida (+9) and Arizona (+10).
Under the NCAA regional format, each team features five golfers. Only the top four count toward that day’s team score.
WVU’s Max Sear rebounded from his opening-round struggles to 1-over par 72 on Day 2. Matthew Sharpstene was 2-over, while Logan Perkins and Etienne Papineau each shot 3-over.
Papineau overcame a brutal start on the back nine at the University of Louisville Golf Club. He double-bogeyed No. 18 and No. 1, before rebounding with three birdies over the final six holes. That included a chip-in on No. 6, and a 4-iron approach on the ninth hole that set up a 10-foot putt.
“I stayed patient and tried to make the best out of it,” Papineau said. “I was 6-over through 10, but then I just battled back.”
West Virginia dropped Philipp Matlari’s 5-over 76.
The Mountaineers will be paired with Arizona and Arkansas State for the final 18 holes Wednesday.