May 11, 2006
ORLANDO - UCF senior Sonny Nimkhum has been added to the list of individuals chosen to participate in the NCAA East Regional at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club May 18-20. Nimkhum will be one of six individuals participating in the 27-team event and will have the opportunity to advance to the NCAA Championship that will be played at the Crosswater Club in Sunriver, Ore. May 31-June 3.
Nimkhum is coming off his best career performance with a runner-up finish at the Conference USA Men's Golf Championship at Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point, Miss. two weeks ago. He was not on the original list of invitees to Lake Nona when invitations were extended Monday, but was added to the field after UAB's Garret Osborn withdrew from the event.
"It's a great honor for Sonny to be selected to participate in an NCAA Regional," UCF coach Nick Clinard said. "It's a fitting end to his days of representing UCF and it comes at a time when he is playing the best golf of his career."
As an individual representing UCF at an NCAA Division I Regional, Nimkhum joins the likes of Robert Damron and Hans Strom-Olsen, who did so in 1993. Nimkhum led the team this year with a 72.5 stroke average in six events and carded nine rounds at even-par or better, including three rounds in the 60s.
A total of 10 teams and two individuals from three regional sites will advance to the NCAA Championship. In order to qualify, Nimkhum will have to be one of the top two finishers among the players from the teams that are not advancing.
Despite being ranked 49th in the country in the latest Golfstat rankings, UCF did not receive an invitation to the 81-team NCAA field that was divided among three 27-team regional sites. To ensure participation from all regions of the country, the field was complied as a result of district rankings and conference tournament finishes, leaving little room for at-large teams. UCF finished runner-up in the Conference USA tournament and was ranked 10th in District 3 South, where only the top eight teams are guaranteed entry into an NCAA Regional.