North Carolina's men's golf team concluded their championship run with a tie for ninth place at the 2026 NCAA Men's Golf Championship in Carlsbad, California. Freshman Carson Bertagnole exhibited impressive performance, making crucial putts down the stretch to help the team qualify for a playoff alongside Stanford, UCLA, and Tennessee. The playoff determined the last two spots for the upcoming match play, which begins Tuesday. In a one-hole playoff, Stanford's squad achieved even par, while UNC and Tennessee finished at 2 over. Overall, Bertagnole's individual score marked one of the best finishes by a UNC golfer in NCAA history.

By the Numbers
  • UNC shot rounds of 1-under 287, even-par 288, 5-under 283, and 4-over 292 for a total score of 2-under-par 1,150.
  • Carson Bertagnole finished tied for 19th overall with a total of 4-under 284, making it the lowest 72-hole score to par by a UNC freshman in NCAA Championship history.
State of Play
  • The Tar Heels achieved their fifth top-10 finish in the last six NCAA Championships.
  • Auburn and Texas secured the top two seeds for the quarterfinals with scores of 26 under and 23 under, respectively.
What's Next

Match play rounds will begin on Tuesday, featuring Auburn and Texas as they compete for the championship. The dynamics of team match play will shift as teams strategize to adapt from stroke play to head-to-head competition.

Bottom Line

North Carolina's strong performance in their NCAA Championship journey showcases their resilience and talent, highlighting the promising future of the program, particularly with standout performances from their freshmen like Bertagnole.