Courtesy UVA Media Relations
Senior Ben James recorded the lowest 54-hole total in NCAA Regional history and Virginia men’s golf shared the team title with Pepperdine at the 2026 NCAA Winston-Salem Regional. The Cavaliers advance to NCAA Championships for a school-record, fourth-straight year.
After a final round of 65 on Wednesday, James’ 54-hole total of 194 was the lowest ever by an NCAA DI golfer at a regional.
It broke his own NCAA record of 196 set back at the 2023 Las Vegas Regional and at 19-under was one stroke off matching his NCAA relation to par mark of 20-under.
According to CollegeGolfData.com, James is the 13th men’s golfer ever to win multiple NCAA Regionals – 2023 Las Vegas Regional and 2026 Winston-Salem Regional.
If you want even more award-winning coverage on the UVA athletics department, including its nationally-ranked football and basketball programs, be sure to subscribe to “Cavalier Exclusive” to follow all of Virginia Sports Hall Of Famer Jerry “Hootie” Ratcliffe’s analysis and content. It’s the best in the business for Wahoo Fans!
Virginia (-36), Pepperdine (-36), Ole Miss (-31), Southern California (-27) and Mississippi State (-26) all advanced to the NCAA Championship in Carlsbad, Calif. later this month. Pepperdine overcame a six-shot deficit to earn a share of the team championship after a final round 269.
Graduate student Paul Chang continued a red-hot closing stretch to the season with his fourth top 10 finish in the last five events. He fired three-straight, 68s to finish in a tie for fifth at 9-under.
Senior Bryan Lee rounded out a trio of Cavaliers in the top 20 with a T-14 finish. He was 6-under for the tournament and closed with a 1-over 72 on Wednesday.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Virginia won its first ever NCAA Regional title and has finished either first or second in each of the last three regionals.
- A Cavalier individual has won an NCAA Regional in three of the last four years – Ben James (2023 Las Vegas Regional), Paul Chang (2025 Reno Regional) and Ben James (2026 Winston-Salem Regional).
- Virginia has won six tournaments during the 2025-26 season, the most in school history.
- UVA’s 54-hole score of 816 at Bermuda Run Country Club is tied for the 7th lowest score in NCAA Regional history.
- As a team, the Cavaliers were one shot of matching the program’s 54-hole NCAA Regional scoring record of 815 established at the 2023 Las Vegas Regional. This week’s performance was also the school’s second-best score in relation to par (-36) at an NCAA Regional.
- For James, the win was his seventh of his UVA career, tying Ben Kohles (2008-2012) for the most in program history.
UP NEXT
Virginia will play in its fourth-straight NCAA Championship at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif. (May 29-June 3).
LEADERBOARD
| PL | TEAM | RD 1 | RD 2 | RD 3 | TOTAL | TO PAR |
| T1. | Virginia | 271 | 270 | 275 | 816 | -36 |
| T1. | Pepperdine | 273 | 274 | 269 | 816 | -36 |
| 3. | Ole Miss | 278 | 269 | 274 | 821 | -31 |
| 4. | Southern California | 278 | 279 | 268 | 825 | -11 |
| 5. | Mississippi State | 278 | 272 | 276 | 826 | -18 |
| — | ————————— | —- | —- | —- | —- | —- |
| 6. | Houston | 287 | 278 | 269 | 834 | -18 |
| 7. | NC State | 287 | 275 | 273 | 835 | -17 |
| 8. | Wake Forest | 278 | 286 | 276 | 840 | -12 |
| 9. | Georgia Tech | 283 | 298 | 267 | 848 | -4 |
| 10. | Kentucky | 280 | 290 | 280 | 850 | -2 |
| 11. | Richmond | 293 | 280 | 286 | 859 | +7 |
| 12. | Little Rock | 298 | 280 | 286 | 864 | +12 |
| 13. | Presbyterian | 290 | 290 | 293 | 873 | +21 |
| 14. | Navy | 295 | 284 | 297 | 876 | +24 |
*Top five teams advance to NCAA Championships
VIRGINIA
| PL. | TEAM | RD 1 | RD 2 | RD 3 | TOTAL | TO PAR |
| 1. | Ben James | 66 | 63 | 65 | 194 | -19 |
| T5. | Paul Chang | 68 | 68 | 68 | 204 | -9 |
| T14. | Bryan Lee | 68 | 67 | 72 | 207 | -6 |
| T33 | Michael Lee | 69 | 72 | 72 | 213 | E |
| T47. | Josh Duangmanee | 70 | 76 | 70 | 216 | +3 |
🥊 CALI BOUND! 🥊
We’re heading to NCAA Championships for a program-record, FOURTH-STRAIGHT year! #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/FWbMF0GmyK
— Virginia Men’s Golf (@UVAMensGolf) May 20, 2026
If you want even more award-winning coverage on the UVA athletics department, including its nationally-ranked football and basketball programs, be sure to subscribe to “Cavalier Exclusive” to follow all of Virginia Sports Hall Of Famer Jerry “Hootie” Ratcliffe’s analysis and content. It’s the best in the business for Wahoo Fans!
