NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Freshman Brantley Baker and senior Ben Carr both shot an even-par 70, and Georgia Southern men's golf team advanced to the NCAA Championship Finals by finishing fifth at the New Haven Regional Wednesday at Yale Golf Course.

The Finals will be played May 27-June 1 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, and features the top-5 teams and top individual not on those teams from each of the six regionals.

Georgia Southern (-6) finished the New Haven Regional four strokes ahead of Virginia (-2) and No. 20 Illinois, which tied for sixth. Wake Forest (-26), ranked 17th in the country, won the regional by seven strokes over fifth-ranked North Carolina (-19). Eighth-ranked Texas Tech (-16) tied North Florida for third. 

The Eagles advance to the Finals for the second time in the last three NCAA Golf Championships, and their team score of 834 ties the program's lowest at a regional, matching the total Georgia Southern shot to finish fourth in the Stanford Regional in 2019. It's the 16th time the Eagles have advanced to the NCAA Finals.

Keyed by a first-round 65, senior Mason Williams (-5) tied for sixth on the individual leaderboard and posted a 72 today. Carr (-2) tied for 15th, and Baker tied for 29th. Freshman Hogan Ingram shot 74 today, and senior Wilson Andress posted a 75. The New Haven field featured eight teams ranked nationally in the top-50, including Georgia Southern, and 15 individuals ranked in the top-100.

Georgia Southern began the round on the back 9 for the first time this week, and Carr played the side 1-under with birdies on 14 and 16. Williams had a clean card on the side with a birdie at 14, and Baker birdied 14 and 17 to play the side 1-under. 

Ingram played the front 9 even, and Baker birdied 7 to finish 1-over on the side. Carr added a birdie on 1 and parred his last two holes of the round.

In the Finals next week, there will be three rounds of stroke play, and the top-15 teams and top-9 individuals not on those teams will advance to a fourth round of stroke play. The individual champion will be crowned following the fourth round, and the top-8 teams will advance to match play to determine the team champion.

Results
Team – 270-278-286=834 (-6), 5
Mason Williams – 65-68-72=205 (-5), T6
Ben Carr – 71-67-70=208 (-2), T15
Brantley Baker – 69-72-70=211 (+1), T29
Hogan Ingram – 70-71-74=215 (+5), T43
Wilson Andress – 66-75-75=216 (+6), T45

Quotables from Coach Carter Collins
"I am very proud of these guys for buying into the game plan needed to compete on this unique golf course. Throughout the week, there were plenty of times where we got punched in the face, but when that happened, they just played harder. This is a very tough, gritty and special group that has accomplished some amazing things this year… and we aren't done yet. Hail Southern!!!"