CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – Headlined by regional champion Virginia, six Atlantic Coast Conference teams punched their tickets to the 2026 NCAA Men’s Golf Championships on the final day of regional stroke play on Wednesday.
The top five teams from each of the six regionals advanced to the NCAA Championship. The ACC’s six teams in the 30-team NCAA Championship field are the second-most among all conferences.
After winning the ACC Championship in April, Virginia won its second straight team title, sharing the team lead with Pepperdine at 36-under-par (816) at the Winston-Salem Regional at Bermuda Run Country Club. Senior standout Ben James claimed the individual title, finishing 19-under-par (194) over the three days to win by three shots. The 54-hole total of 194 marked the lowest score ever recorded by an NCAA Division I golfer.
Also at Bermuda Run, NC State (835, -17) finished seventh, Wake Forest (840, -12) placed eighth and Georgia Tech (844, -4) climbed to ninth.
On Tuesday, May 19, North Carolina secured its spot in the NCAA Championships at the Bryan, Texas Regional after the threat of inclement weather on Wednesday forced 36 holes on Tuesday. The Tar Heels (845, -19) finished fourth in the final standings as freshman Carson Bertagnole led the way by tying for fifth at 10-under (206). It marks the eighth time in the last nine postseasons that North Carolina has advanced from a regional to the NCAA Championship.
Stanford, which finished as the runner-up at the ACC Championship, placed second at the Columbus Regional, while fellow ACC member Florida State (883, +31) placed fifth, securing spots for both teams to the NCAA Championship. Led by Jay Leng and Nathan Wang, who tied for 11th at 6-over-par (219), the Cardinal battled the elements and finished 24-over-par in rainy conditions. It marks Stanford’s 17th trip to the NCAA Championship under head coach Conrad Ray.
The Seminoles, who will make their sixth straight appearance at the NCAA Championships, were led by Jack Whaley, who tied for seventh at 4-over-par (217). Whaley was one of just four players to shoot under-par on Wednesday, matching the day’s lowest score at 1-under (70). California also competed in Columbus, finishing eighth.
At the Marana Regional in Marana, Arizona, Duke tied for fourth with Arkansas State to seal its spot to Carlsbad. Blue Devil junior Bryan Kim tied for sixth to pace Duke, carding an 11-under-par 205. The Blue Devils advanced to the NCAA Championships for the second time in the last four years.
Also in Marana, Clemson narrowly missed the top five, finishing seventh and just three shots behind the tie for fourth between Duke and Arkansas State.
Louisville (826, -26), which was seeded sixth in the Athens Regional, turned in its best regional performance in program history, finishing second and just two strokes shy of regional champion, Vanderbilt. Cooper Claycomb (-12) and Brady Smith (-7) finished in the top 10 individually, as Claycomb placed third while Smith tied for eighth. It marks just the sixth time the Cardinals have advanced to the NCAA Championships and the program’s first appearance since 2021.
Notre Dame wrapped up its season with a ninth-place finish at the Corvallis Regional, while Jacob Modleski (208, -5) finished tied for ninth.
The 2026 NCAA Men’s Golf Championship is set for May 29-June 3 at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California. The 30-team field will play 54 holes before being cut to 15 teams for the final round of stroke play. The top eight teams will advance to match play. Golf Channel will broadcast the final three days of the NCAA Championship.
Last season, five ACC teams advanced to the 30-team field in Carlsbad, where Virginia earned the No. 7 seed in the match play quarterfinals. After upsetting second-seeded Auburn and third-seeded Florida, the Cavaliers fell to Oklahoma State in the match play final, marking the third straight season an ACC team advanced to the championship match.
ACC 2026 NCAA Men’s Golf Regional Selections
Athens Regional – University of Georgia Golf Course
Louisville – 2nd (826, -26)
Bermuda Run Regional – Bermuda Run Country Club
Virginia – 1st (816, -36)
NC State – 7th (835, -17)
Wake Forest – 8th (840, -12)
Georgia Tech – 9th (844, -4)
Individual champion: Ben James, Virginia (194, -19)
Bryan Regional – Traditions Club
North Carolina – 4th (845, -19)
ACC Individuals:
William Sides (SMU) – 16th (211, -6)
Ben Steinmann (SMU) – 64th (228, +12)
Columbus Regional – OSU Golf Club
Stanford – 2nd (876, +24)
Florida State – 5th (883, +31)
California – 8th (891, +39)
Corvallis Regional – Trysting Tree Golf Club
Notre Dame – 9th (851, -1)
Marana Regional – The Gallery Golf Club
Duke – T4th (840, -24)
Clemson – 7th (838, -22)