University of Tennessee Athletics
Saturday, May 30
Carlsbad, Calif.
University of Tennessee
vs
NCAA Championships - Round 2
#18 Vols Make Five-Stroke Improvement, Remain in Contention to Advance at NCAA Championships
May 30, 2026 | Men's Golf
CARLSBAD, Calif. – The NCAA Championships continued on Saturday for the No. 18 Tennessee men's golf team, with round two of the tournament contested at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa's North Course.
The Vols marked a five-stroke improvement on their opening round, closing round two with a 1-under-par 287. The score sees Tennessee improve to 3-over-par through 36 holes, good enough to sit tied for 14th place ahead of round three.
To advance to Monday's fourth and final round of stroke play, the Vols must remain within the top 15 at the end of round three on Sunday. Tennessee is currently just two strokes ahead of No. 2 Florida in 16th place. Looking further ahead, the Vols must climb within the top eight after 72 holes of stroke play to qualify for the match play quarterfinals, which would take place on Tuesday. Tennessee is currently seven strokes behind three teams tied for sixth place at the end of round two.
Lance Simpson continued to fight in round two his final tournament with the Vols. The redshirt senior, in his fifth season with the program, posted a 1-under-par 71 on Saturday, improving his overall tally for the tournament to 1-under-par. Simpson recorded four birdies in the second round, while a double bogey on hole No. 14 kept him from securing a score in the 60s. As Tennessee's low individual scorer through 36 holes, Simpson is tied for 33rd place entering Sunday's third round.
After a difficult opening round, Bruce Murphy bounced back by matching Simpson for the Vols' low round of the day in round two. After posting an 8-over-par 80 in round one, the redshirt junior improved by nine strokes between rounds with a 1-under-par 71 on Saturday. Murphy used three birdies to offset two bogeys, allowing him to rise to a tie for 116th place among the field of 157 golfers who have competed thus far.
Josh Hill carded an even-par 72 in round two for Tennessee's third round of par or better on the day. After three birdies on his opening six holes, the senior found bogey trouble around the turn, but was able to bounce back and close the round on the right foot with a birdie on hole No. 17. At 2-over-par through 36 holes, Hill is tied for 65th place ahead of round three on Sunday.
An up-and-down round saw Jackson Herrington secure the Vols' final countable score in round two. The sophomore tallied a team-high five birdies, but six bogeys saw Herrington post a 1-over-par 73. He sits at 4-over-par and tied for 88th place through two rounds of the NCAA Championships.
After carding Tennessee's best score in round one, Chase Kyes recorded a 2-over-par 74 on Saturday. A very promising scorecard was derailed by back-to-back double bogeys on hole No. 17 and hole No. 18 to close the day. At 3-over-par for the tournament, Kyes is tied for 52nd place in his NCAA Championships debut.
The NCAA Championships will continue on Sunday with round three at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa.
NCAA Championship Standings (Round Two)
1. Auburn (-20)
T-2. Texas (-12)
T-2. Vanderbilt (-12)
T-4. UCLA (-7)
T-4. Oklahoma State (-7)
T-6. Duke (-4)
T-6. Virginia (-4)
T-6. Arizona (-4)
T-9. Pepperdine (-1)
T-9. North Carolina (-1)
11. Oklahoma (E)
T-12. San Diego (+1)
T-12. Stanford (+1)
T-14. Chattanooga (+3)
T-14. Tennessee (+3)
16. Florida (+5)
17. Arkansas State (+6)
18. Georgia (+7)
19. Arizona State (+8)
T-20. Arkansas (+10)
T-20. BYU (+10)
22. Texas A&M (+12)
23. Louisville (+14)
24. Purdue (+15)
25. Mississippi State (+16)
26. Memphis (+18)
T-27. LSU (+20)
T-27. Ole Miss (+20)
29. USC (+21)
30. Florida State (+23)
Tennessee Results (Round Two)
T-33. Lance Simpson: 72-71 = 143 (-1)
T-52. Chase Kyes: 71-74 = 145 (+1)
T-65. Josh Hill: 74-72 = 146 (+2)
T-88. Jackson Herrington: 75-73 = 148 (+4)
T-116. Bruce Murphy: 80-71 = 151 (+7)
The Vols marked a five-stroke improvement on their opening round, closing round two with a 1-under-par 287. The score sees Tennessee improve to 3-over-par through 36 holes, good enough to sit tied for 14th place ahead of round three.
To advance to Monday's fourth and final round of stroke play, the Vols must remain within the top 15 at the end of round three on Sunday. Tennessee is currently just two strokes ahead of No. 2 Florida in 16th place. Looking further ahead, the Vols must climb within the top eight after 72 holes of stroke play to qualify for the match play quarterfinals, which would take place on Tuesday. Tennessee is currently seven strokes behind three teams tied for sixth place at the end of round two.
Lance Simpson continued to fight in round two his final tournament with the Vols. The redshirt senior, in his fifth season with the program, posted a 1-under-par 71 on Saturday, improving his overall tally for the tournament to 1-under-par. Simpson recorded four birdies in the second round, while a double bogey on hole No. 14 kept him from securing a score in the 60s. As Tennessee's low individual scorer through 36 holes, Simpson is tied for 33rd place entering Sunday's third round.
After a difficult opening round, Bruce Murphy bounced back by matching Simpson for the Vols' low round of the day in round two. After posting an 8-over-par 80 in round one, the redshirt junior improved by nine strokes between rounds with a 1-under-par 71 on Saturday. Murphy used three birdies to offset two bogeys, allowing him to rise to a tie for 116th place among the field of 157 golfers who have competed thus far.
Josh Hill carded an even-par 72 in round two for Tennessee's third round of par or better on the day. After three birdies on his opening six holes, the senior found bogey trouble around the turn, but was able to bounce back and close the round on the right foot with a birdie on hole No. 17. At 2-over-par through 36 holes, Hill is tied for 65th place ahead of round three on Sunday.
An up-and-down round saw Jackson Herrington secure the Vols' final countable score in round two. The sophomore tallied a team-high five birdies, but six bogeys saw Herrington post a 1-over-par 73. He sits at 4-over-par and tied for 88th place through two rounds of the NCAA Championships.
After carding Tennessee's best score in round one, Chase Kyes recorded a 2-over-par 74 on Saturday. A very promising scorecard was derailed by back-to-back double bogeys on hole No. 17 and hole No. 18 to close the day. At 3-over-par for the tournament, Kyes is tied for 52nd place in his NCAA Championships debut.
The NCAA Championships will continue on Sunday with round three at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa.
NCAA Championship Standings (Round Two)
1. Auburn (-20)
T-2. Texas (-12)
T-2. Vanderbilt (-12)
T-4. UCLA (-7)
T-4. Oklahoma State (-7)
T-6. Duke (-4)
T-6. Virginia (-4)
T-6. Arizona (-4)
T-9. Pepperdine (-1)
T-9. North Carolina (-1)
11. Oklahoma (E)
T-12. San Diego (+1)
T-12. Stanford (+1)
T-14. Chattanooga (+3)
T-14. Tennessee (+3)
16. Florida (+5)
17. Arkansas State (+6)
18. Georgia (+7)
19. Arizona State (+8)
T-20. Arkansas (+10)
T-20. BYU (+10)
22. Texas A&M (+12)
23. Louisville (+14)
24. Purdue (+15)
25. Mississippi State (+16)
26. Memphis (+18)
T-27. LSU (+20)
T-27. Ole Miss (+20)
29. USC (+21)
30. Florida State (+23)
Tennessee Results (Round Two)
T-33. Lance Simpson: 72-71 = 143 (-1)
T-52. Chase Kyes: 71-74 = 145 (+1)
T-65. Josh Hill: 74-72 = 146 (+2)
T-88. Jackson Herrington: 75-73 = 148 (+4)
T-116. Bruce Murphy: 80-71 = 151 (+7)
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
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