VALDOSTA, Ga. — West Florida’s Cooper Tendick won the 2026 NCAA South Regional, while West Florida and Lee made the cut to advance to the NCAA Men’s Golf National Championship as regional play concluded Saturday, May 9 from the Valdosta Country Club in Valdosta, Ga.
 
TEAM LEADERBOARD | PLAYER LEADERBOARD
 
Tendick won by one-stroke as he shot 201 15-under-par over three rounds. With the victory, he became the first Gulf South Conference player to win the individual regional title since North Alabama’s Jake Greer accomplished the feat in 2009. Lee’s Drew Zielinski finished second and carded a 202 14-under for the tournament. 
 
On the team leaderboard, West Florida placed second, finished two shots better than third-place finisher Lee. The Argonauts’ overall score with 846, which was six strokes behind South Region team champion Nova Southeastern (840).
 
West Florida and Lee will now prepare for the NCAA DII Men’s Golf National Championship. The three-round stroke-play competition will begin May 18, with match play action teeing off May 21. This year’s NCAA event will be played at the Boulder Creek Golf Club in Boulder City, Nevada.
 
For the fifth time in the last six years the GSC will have two teams compete in the DII National Championship event. A GSC team has advanced to match play in each of the last nine seasons, with two teams moving on three times since 2021.