Consistency, balance, and a lot of pars led the way for Purdue Men's Golf team as it advances to its second straight NCAA Championship after finishing fourth in the Auburn NCAA Regional this week.

Purdue finished the 54-hole event at 9-over par as a team as it made a final day charge. When play started on the third and final day, Purdue was three shots outside of the cutline. After the final round, Purdue was safely advancing to the NCAA Championship and finished fourth, advancing past New Mexico State and Georgia Tech throughout the day.

The success for Purdue was as simple as its game plan.

"We met last night and we know our focus would be fairways and greens as simple as it sounds," head coach Andrew Sapp said after the round.

Sapp, who took over the program for Rob Bradley this season, has now taken his third team to the NCAA Championships after successful stints as the head coach at Michigan and North Carolina.

It was a freshman and a senior that led the way for Purdue on the third day.

Senior Nels Surtani and freshman Supapon Amornchaichan both finished tied for 15th in the Regional at 1-over par for the three day tournament.

"It was great to see Supapon step up," Sapp said. "He's never been in this istuation and he doesn't know what pressure there is. He just went out there and played good golf. He's a very talented player and it was a great tournament for him."

Senior Surtain's top-15 finish made school history as he became the first Boilermaker to have two top-15 finishes in Regionals after a t-10th finish in last year's NCAA Regionals at Purdue's home course.

This will be Purdue's 31st National Championships appearance, third most by a 'Northern' school (above 40 degree latitude).

NCAA Championships at the Omni LaCosta Resort in Carlsbad, California will take place on May 23rd.

The Purdue women are in Carlsbad currently preparing for their second straight trip to the NCAA Championships. That tournament starts tomorrow, the 16th.