AMHERST, Va. – Battling back from seven strokes behind the cut line at the start of the final round, the Pepperdine men's golf team posted a 3-under 277 in the last round of the NCAA Amherst Regional to finish in fifth place and earn a spot in the NCAA Championship, which is set for May 23-28 at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif.

Gutting out a fifth-place finish with a tournament total of 849 (280-292-277) (+9) on the par-70 7,212-yard Poplar Grove Golf Club at the NCAA Amherst Regional, the two-time national champions (1997 and 2021) qualified for the NCAA Championship for the 14th time in program history. In their 13 appearances at nationals, the Waves have collected a total of six top-10 finishes, which include 1st (1997, 2021), T-3rd (2022), T-5th (2023), 8th (2002) and 10th (2004).

"Our guys did an amazing job managing all the uncertainty with the adjusted start times and weather delays," head coach Michael Beard said. "They have worked so hard all year, and to be able to perform the way they did in the final round - specifically the last 6 holes - was incredible. Watching our guys perform under pressure, going 6-under over the last six holes and 3-under on the last two was awesome. It was stressful, but so much fun to see! We're looking forward to getting to Carlsbad and competing at La Costa next week!"

No. 19 Pepperdine began the final round Tuesday morning and only completed four holes before inclement weather postponed the rest of the round to Wednesday morning. During the short stint on the course, the Waves made up five strokes and put themselves just two back of the top-five and cut line at the resumption on Wednesday.  

Halfway through the final round, the Waves found themselves three back and 14-over thru 10-14. From there, Pepperdine fired off multiple birdies and moved to 10-over thru 14-17 as the Waves took over sole possession of fifth and moved inside the cut line for the first time since the beginning of the second round.

After playing the next few holes even-par, the Waves were tied with Arizona for the fifth and final spot in the NCAA Championship. With the Wildcats having already finished the course and most of the Waves already in the clubhouse, Mahanth Chirravuri still had the par-4 18th left to play. The WCC co-Player of the Year capped off his 4-under back nine with a birdie on 18 to give the Waves sole possession of fifth and propel them to the NCAA Championship.

Chirravuri finished tied for 10th at 2-under after posting an impressive 5-under 65, including a 4-under back nine in the final round. He ended the regional with a total of 208 (71-72-65) and earned his first top-10 finish in a regional, his sixth top-10 finish this season and the 10th such finish during his career as a Wave.

In order of finish, the five teams advancing out of the Amherst Regional to the NCAA Championship are #7 Oklahoma, #18 Vanderbilt, #30 Tennessee, #43 Wake Forest and #19 Pepperdine.

PLAYER SCORES

• Junior Mahanth Chirravuri (Chandler, Ariz.) led the Waves, posting a 2-under 208 (71-72-65) in the regional to finish tied for 10th. He carded an impressive 5-under 65, including a 4-under back nine and a birdie on 18 to give the Waves sole possession of fifth and propel them to the NCAA Championship. Chirravuri earned his first top-10 finish in a regional, his sixth top-10 finish this season and the 10th such finish during his time as a Wave.
• Freshman Luke Bailey (Encinitas, Calif.) finished tied for 30th at 4-over with a tournament total of 214 (68-74-72). Bailey shot a 2-over 72, collecting a birdie on hole five in the final round.
• Sophomore Willy Walsh (San Mateo, Calif.) finished with a 1-over 71 with three birdies during his third round and also ended the regional tied for 30th with a total score of 214 (75-68-71) (+4). Walsh birdied holes 1, 13 and 14 over the last two days of competition.
• Junior Brady Siravo (Sacramento, Calif.) finished tied for 34th with a three-round total of 215 (73-71-71) (+5). During his third round, Siravo was 2-over thru 10, but played the last eight holes 1-under, including birdies on holes 11 and 18 to finish strong and post a 1-over 71 in the last round.
• Playing his second round of the regional, sophomore Kristoffer Kuvaas (Houston, Texas) carded an even 70, earning the Waves second best round of the day. Kuvaas collected birdies on holes 1 and 17 during the final round. 

THE NUMBERS
Team Scores:
1. #7 Oklahoma 830 (-10)
2. #18 Vanderbilt 834 (-6)
3. #30 Tennessee 835 (-5)
4. #43 Wake Forest 839 (-1)
5. #19 Pepperdine 849 (+9)
CUT LINE
6. #31 Arizona 850 (+10)
7. Arkansas 852 (+12)
8. #42 Stanford 853 (+13)
9. #6 LSU 854 (+14)
10. Kent State 857 (+17)
11. Florida Gulf Coast 861 (+21)
12. Princeton 868 (+28)
13. Howard 906 (+66)
 
Top Individuals:
1. Jackson Van Paris (Vanderbilt) 202 (-8)
T2. Sakke Siltala (Texas State - IND.) 205 (-5)
T2. Clark Van Gaalen (Oklahoma) 205 (-5)
T4. Gunnlaugur Arni Sveinsson (LSU) 206 (-4)
T4. Filip Jakubcik (Arizona) 206 (-4)
T6. Ryan Downes (Vanderbilt) 207 (-3)
T6. Marshall Meisel (Wake Forest) 207 (-3)
T6. Lance Simpson (Tennessee) 207 (-3)
T6. Mark Stockdale (Arkansas) 207 (-3)
T10. Mahanth Chirravuri (Pepperdine) 208 (-2)

All individual results can be found here.
 
UP NEXT
The Waves will head to Carlsbad, Calif. for the NCAA Championship May 23-28 at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa. There will be 30 teams and six individuals who will complete 54 holes of stroke play Friday-Sunday.
 
Following the 54 holes of competition, the top 15 teams along with the top nine individuals not on an advancing team will advance for one additional day of stroke play to determine the top eight teams for match play and the 72-hole stroke play individual champion.