Senior Ben James set a new NCAA Regional record for the lowest 54-hole total as the Virginia men’s golf team shared the team title with Pepperdine at the 2026 NCAA Winston-Salem Regional, advancing to the NCAA Championships for a school-record fourth consecutive year, according to a May 20 announcement.
James completed his rounds with a final score of 194 after shooting a final round of 65. This score is now recognized as the lowest ever by an NCAA Division I golfer at a regional event, surpassing his own previous record of 196 from the 2023 Las Vegas Regional. At nineteen under par, James was just one stroke short of matching his relation-to-par mark set previously. According to CollegeGolfData.com, he becomes only the thirteenth men’s golfer to win multiple NCAA Regionals.
The Cavaliers and Pepperdine both finished at thirty-six under par (816), followed by Ole Miss (-31), Southern California (-27), and Mississippi State (-26). All five teams will move on to compete in Carlsbad, California later this month. Pepperdine overcame a six-shot deficit in their final round to tie Virginia for first place.
Graduate student Paul Chang tied for fifth after three consecutive rounds of sixty-eight, marking his fourth top-ten finish in five events. Senior Bryan Lee also contributed with a tie for fourteenth place overall. The team’s performance marked its first-ever NCAA Regional title and continued its streak of finishing either first or second in each of its last three regionals.
Virginia has now won six tournaments during the current season—the most in school history—and matched some of its best historical scores at regional events. For James, this victory ties him with Ben Kohles for most career wins in program history.
The Cavaliers are scheduled to play next at their fourth-straight NCAA Championship from May 29 through June 3 at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa.
