애리조나 시니어 필립 자쿠브치크(PGA Tour University 8순위)가 NCAA 챔피언십 36홀을 10언더(-10)로 2타 차 선두로 마무리했다. 대학 골프 후시즌 화제의 선수 두 명이 리더보드 정상을 차지했고, 자쿠브치크의 성적이라면 최종 랭킹에서 3순위로 점프할 가능성이 크다.
01자쿠브치크의 상승 궤도
자쿠브치크는 마라나 리지널에서 코메달리스트 호너를 거두며 8순위로 올라온 데 이어, 현재의 성적이 유지되면 3순위로 더 점프할 전망이다. 이는 콘퍼런스 투어(Korn Ferry Tour) 멤버십만이 아니라 PGA Tour Q-School의 파이널 스테이지(2-5순위) 진출 면제를 획득할 가능성을 높인다.
02포티터의 불가능한 기록
자쿠브치크의 추격자는 루이지애나의 몰란 포티터(8언더, T2)로, 그는 놀라운 무보기 기록을 세우고 있다. 4월 29일 선벨트 콘퍼런스 챔피언십 마지막 홀 이후 지난 91홀을 무보기로 기록했으며, 이번 NCAA 챔피언십에서도 8언더(버디 8개, 이글 0개, 보기 0개)로 마무리했다.
포티터는 아테네 리지널에서 14언더(버디 12개, 이글 1개, 보기 0개)로 코메달리스트 호너를 거둔 선수로, 현재의 성적이 계속되면 PGA Tour University에서 9순위나 올라 18순위로 진입해 PGA Tour Americas 멤버십(11-25순위)을 획득할 가능성이 높다. 벨러 대학의 조니 키퍼가 2024 NCAA 챔피언십에서 T11로 마무리해 29순위에서 25순위로 진입한 뒤, 프로 첫해 PGA Tour Americas 1순위, 2년차 콘퍼런스 투어 1순위로 올라 현재는 PGA 투어 멤버인 선례가 있다.
031순위 경쟁 계속
1순위 경쟁 면에서는 벤 제임스(버지니아, T26)가 여전히 유리하다. 크리스챤 마스(텍사스)가 2라운드 69를 기록해 리더보드를 52스트로크 올라 T52에 올랐지만, 제임스는 T26을 유지하며 최종 랭킹 확정 시까지 1순위 위치를 보존하고 있다. 만약 제임스가 1순위로 마무리되면 플로리다 스테이트의 존 팩(2021년) 이후 처음으로 시니어 시즌 전체에서 매주 1순위를 유지한 선수가 된다.
04팀 경쟁 리드하는 오번
팀 리더보드에서는 오번이 16언더(272)로 선두를 달리고 있으며, 이는 NCAA 챔피언십이 라 코스타로 이주한 2024년 이후 최고의 팀 스코어다. 주니어 조시아 길버트(7언더, T4)와 주니어 잭슨 코이분(6언더, T7)이 오번을 이끌고 있다.
05Original (English) — PGA TOUR
CARLSBAD, Calif. — Two of the hottest players of the college golf postseason are atop the second-round leaderboard at the NCAA Championship, as Arizona senior Filip Jakubcik (PGA TOUR University No. 8) is 10 under and leads by two over Louisiana's Malan Potgieter (No. 27), who has carded five straight bogey-free rounds and 91 consecutive holes without a bogey.
After earning co-medalist honors at the Marana Regional, Jakubcik moved to No. 8 in the Class of 2026 PGA TOUR University Ranking and into position to earn Korn Ferry Tour membership this summer (finishers Nos. 2-10). Based on the second-round leaderboard, he projects to move to No. 3 in the ranking, which would upgrade his exemption to PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry – from Second Stage (finishers Nos. 6-25) to Final Stage (Nos. 2-5).
One of Jakubcik's chasers is Potgieter, whose last bogey in competition was on the penultimate hole during the final round of the Sun Belt Conference Championship on April 29. Since then, he was 14-under par (12 birdies, 1 eagle, 0 bogeys) at the University of Georgia Golf Course en route to co-medalist honors at the Athens Regional, and he is 8 under this week (8 birdies, 0 bogeys) at Omni La Costa Resort and Spa and tied for second with Alabama sophomore William Jennings.
Through two rounds, Potgieter is projected to improve nine spots to No. 18 in PGA TOUR University, which would give him PGA TOUR Americas membership this summer (finishers Nos. 11-25). The last player to move into the PGA TOUR University top 25 at the NCAA Championship was Baylor's Johnny Keefer, who finished T11 at the 2024 NCAA Championship and moved from No. 29 to No. 25 in the last week of his collegiate career. In his first two years as a pro, Keefer finished No. 1 on the PGA TOUR Americas Points List (2024) and Korn Ferry Tour Points List (2025), and he is now a PGA TOUR member.
In the race for PGA TOUR University No. 1, Texas' Christiaan Maas carded a second-round 69 to improve 48 spots on the leaderboard to T52, but Virginia's Ben James (T26) remains the favorite to hold his No. 1 position and earn his PGA TOUR card when the PGA TOUR University Ranking is finalized Monday. Should James finish the season atop PGA TOUR University, he would join Florida State's John Pak (2021) as the only players to be ranked No. 1 every week during their senior season.
On the team leaderboard, Auburn leads after carding a 16-under 272 total Saturday morning, the best team score since the NCAA Championship moved to La Costa in 2024. The Tigers are led by junior Josiah Gilbert at 7 under (T4), while junior Jackson Koivun is T7 at 6 under. Koivun earned his PGA TOUR card last season via PGA TOUR University Accelerated and is eligible to accept membership at the end of the collegiate season.
After Sunday's third round, the field will be cut to the low 15 teams and nine individuals not on an advancing team. Monday's final round will determine the individual national champion, as well as the eight teams that advance to match play.
After the final round of stroke play on Monday, June 1, the Class of 2026 PGA TOUR University Ranking will be finalized, with the top 25 players earning membership on the PGA TOUR (No. 1), Korn Ferry Tour (Nos. 2-10) or PGA TOUR Americas (Nos. 11-25).
Projections after second round of NCAA Championship
In partnership with the World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR®), PGA TOUR University ranks players based on the last two years of their collegiate careers. Eligible Tournaments include NCAA Division I men's team competitions, official PGA TOUR tournaments and select DP World Tour events. The Ranking Period for the Class of 2026 began Week 23/2024 and concludes June 1, 2026, following the final round of stroke play at the NCAA D-I Men's National Championship.
