If No. 3 Virginia’s only mission was to survive and advance, it surpassed those margins and more in the NCAA Winston-Salem Regional through a career performance from senior Ben James and consistent showings throughout the Cavaliers’ roster. In the shared victory with No. 15 Pepperdine, Virginia clinched its fourth-straight NCAA Championship outing.
The Cavaliers hit the ground running Monday with freshman Michael Lee. Lee led the Cavalier charge in the tournament’s first nine holes with a five under par. Beyond Lee, the entire lineup scored under par in round one, and all five Cavaliers sat inside the top 20 individual scorers in the first 18 holes of action.
James tallied a 66 in the opening round, carding only one bogey. In his second-lowest round of the season, he recorded four of his six birdies on the final eight holes.
After day one, Virginia carried an early two-stroke lead, and the squad’s overall total of 271 strokes marked the third-lowest round in NCAA Regional history.
In the second round Tuesday, the Cavaliers picked up right where they left off. James went on a colossal heater, carding four straight birdies on holes three through six and another birdie to finish off the front nine. James proceeded to drain four more birdies in a near-perfect round of golf with a 63. The performance was an NCAA Regional Cavalier low and the second-lowest round in program history.
As a team, Virginia outplayed its already monstrous opening round by a single stroke to card the second-lowest NCAA Regional round ever — and extend its lead over Pepperdine by six strokes.
By the end of the final round Wednesday, James recorded yet another career round, but this time, rewriting the NCAA Regional record books in the process. Continuing to stack birdies — as he had done all tournament long — he carded a 65 in his final 18 holes to win the individual medalist honors by three strokes. His 19-under-par total of 194 strokes at the Winston-Salem Regional stands as the lowest-ever 54-hole score in NCAA Division I Regional tournament history, edging his own record of 196 at the 2023 Las Vegas Regional.
The Cavalier deluge did not stop with James’ record-smashing galore — every member of Virginia’s lineup finished in the top 50 individual performances. Graduate student Paul Chang and junior Josh Duangmanee each finished under par Wednesday, with a 68 and 70, respectively. Chang scored nine under par overall, tying for fifth place in the regional. Behind Chang, senior Bryan Lee tied for 14th at six under par. Michael Lee carded even par after 54 holes, finishing tied for 33rd overall. Duangmanee’s stout final round remedied his second-round woes to finish tied for 47th on 216 total strokes.
Despite the Cavaliers’ prodigious all-around tournament performance, led by James, Pepperdine outplayed Virginia by six strokes Wednesday, carding 15 under par. The score left the teams tied at 36 under overall, with No. 10 Ole Miss five strokes behind them in third place. Because the top five teams automatically advance to the NCAA Championships, the winner of the Winston-Salem Regional remains undecided.
Virginia’s dominant regional performance belies a team ready for any moment thrown at them. Having captured five of their spring tournaments, this Cavalier team possesses the rare combination of experience, talent and momentum required to peak at exactly the right time. With James playing at a record-shattering pace and the barrage of depth beside him, Virginia travels to the West Coast having checked every box this season. Now, only one is left to claim.
The Cavaliers will compete at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif., from May 29 to June 3 for another stab at the inimitable NCAA Championship title.
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