Here's how BYU golf played through the weekend at NCAA championships

PROVO — The BYU men's golf team spent Sunday's third round of the NCAA championships like they do most Sundays: attending worship services, even if in Carlsbad, California, this time.

A little extra prayer didn't hurt.

Led by sophomore Peter Kim's 71-74-72 for 217, the Cougars carded 14-over-par 878 when their third-round scores were added to the competition Sunday, making the cut by three strokes to advance to the final day of stroke-play competition at Omni La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, California.

The field will be trimmed to the top-eight teams after Monday's round, which will determine the match play bracket for the team title.

No. 19 BYU was tied for 18th when it left the course after Saturday's second round, and needed some help to survive the 15-team cut. Junior Tyson Shelley led the Cougars through 36 holes, tied for 25th overall after shooting 71-73 that included a clean front nine in his second round.

Kim added a top-35 mark individually after shooting 71-74, and senior Cole Ponich turned in a top-100 finish at 7-over.

The Cougars played Sunday's "third" round on Thursday to accommodate the university's religious beliefs, when senior Zac Jones shot 1-under 71 and Kim and Ponich each carded a pair of 72s to guarantee a top-15 finish for the first time since 2006.

Simon Kwon shot 74 for his third-round score, while Shelley carded a non-counting 81 to help BYU move up six spots into 12th.

"After a tough round with all the emotions yesterday, it feels great to know that our guys still have a chance," said BYU director of golf Todd Miller. "We have never advanced to match play since it was instituted, so it's exciting that this team has a chance to make a little BYU history. We are proud of this team and their grit."

Top-ranked Auburn was four strokes clear of first place after three rounds. Former two-time Utah state amateur champion Preston Summerhays was 1-over through 54 holes for runner-up Arizona State, which shot 7-over in Sunday's third round after carding 11-under a day earlier.

Oklahoma (3-under) and Florida (1-under) also had red numbers, while Oklahoma State (5-over) rounded out the top five.

Utah's Braxton Watts carded a three-day total of 12-over 228 while the former state champion from Farmington High played as an individual. He climbed as high as a tie for 97th after turning in a 1-over scorecard Saturday, but dropped 11 spots with a 5-over 77 in Sunday's third round.

The Cougars also got some good news away from the links over the weekend, adding a pledge from Oklahoma State transfer Parker Bunn on Saturday night. The former Bonneville High standout and 5A state individual champion will join BYU for the 2024-25 season after redshirting his freshman campaign with the Cowboys.

"It is great to have Parker Bunn join our team," BYU coach Bruce Brockbank said. "I've seen him play some great golf throughout his junior career. He's athletic, hardworking and has the ability to shoot low scores. We are looking forward to him making an impact the day he arrives on campus."

Bunn will have four years of eligibility remaining.

Monday's final round will begin after a team playoff for the 15th spot between Georgia Tech and Wake Forest wraps up at 9 a.m. MDT. Both teams were tied at 17-over at the conclusion of Sunday's third round.

The tie will be broken by a sudden-death playoff counting the aggregate of each team's top-five players on holes 15, 16, 17, 18 and 1. If still tied, play will continue through the next hole until a winner is determined.

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