Will Sides Charges Into NCAA Bryan Regional Hunt

SMU golfer Will Sides came out swinging at the NCAA Bryan Regional, and now the Mustang has a real shot to make a postseason run.

After one round at Traditions Golf Club in Bryan, Texas, Sides sits tied for seventh after carding a 3-under 69.

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That’s exactly the kind of start an individual qualifier needs.

Sides and teammate Ben Steinmann are competing for a spot in the NCAA Championship as individuals. To get there, they must finish as the top player not on an advancing team.

After Round 1, Sides is right in that fight, tied with Jorge Martin Sampedro of UTRGV and Camden Braidech of Chattanooga among players from teams currently outside the qualifying cut.

The round wasn’t explosive right away. Sides played his first 11 holes at even par, staying patient while the leaderboard moved around him. Then he hit the gas. Three straight birdies from holes 12 through 14 flipped his day and pushed him into the top 10.

That closing stretch also helped Sides lower his season scoring average to 69.55, which remains the best single-season mark in SMU program history. Not bad timing to keep sharpening that number.

Steinmann also had a promising start, getting to 1 under through four holes before the round got tougher.

A rough finish at No. 18 left him with a 75, putting him tied for 48th heading into the second round.

There’s still plenty of golf left, but Sides has already made his move. In a regional packed with big programs and tight margins, one hot stretch can change everything.

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Now the challenge is backing it up.

Sides doesn’t need to chase the whole field. He just needs to stay ahead of the right names and keep himself in the NCAA Championship picture.

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