Sargent Set to Compete This Week in NCAA Regional

Sargent Video Interview | Coach Hatchett Video Interview

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Billy Tom Sargent is set this week to become one of a handful of WKU golfers to ever compete in a NCAA Regional.

And although he's carrying the Hilltopper banner in a bigger way, it's simply another opportunity for the redshirt junior to prove himself.

"I've never really been on a stage like Regionals," Sargent said. "I've played in some big amateur tournaments, but Regionals, that's about as big as it gets other than the NCAA Tournament. I just want to learn, have fun and enjoy my time there."

Sargent, a Georgetown, Ky., native, will compete Monday through Wednesday in the Kissimmee (Fla.) Regional, hosted by Central Florida at the Reunion Resort Watson Course.

He's just the second Hilltopper ever selected to compete in a NCAA Regional as an individual, following Brent Long in 2008.

WKU's only other NCAA appearance in men's golf came as a team in 2006 after the program won the Sun Belt Conference championship.

"It's one of my lifelong dreams," Sargent said. "I've always wanted to make the NCAA Tournament, and making it to Regional is just one step closer. Going as an individual is nice. I wish the team could've gone, but I've got one more year with the team, so hopefully next year we go as a team."

Sargent was named to the All-Conference USA Second Team this season, making him the first Hilltopper to receive all-league honors since Alex Yost was named to the All-Sun Belt Conference Team in 2010.

Sargent was the team's top finisher at seven events in the 2017-18 campaign, recording nine top-20s, five top-10s, three top-fives and one victory at the Border Olympics in March.

He finished the season with a team-best stroke average of 72.5, which ranks as the program's third-best individual season average since 1980.

The individual win at the Border Olympics was the third of Sargent's career. He shot a career-low, 12-under 204 to claim victory, the lowest 54-hole score by a Hilltopper since 2009. He's one of just six Hilltopper golfers since 1980 to win at least three career tournaments.

"It's nice to see a player who works as hard as he does to get the results and get to play in a tournament that he's been looking forward to and driving toward all year long," WKU head coach Phillip Hatchett said. "To see the way that he's bloomed and blossomed over the last three or four years of being here, it's a testament to the work these guys have put in."

Two weeks before the win at the Border Olympics, Sargent shot a 10-under 206 at the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate to place third. It was part of a stretch in which he carded six scores of 69 or lower in nine opportunities.

He suffered a hyperextended knee in practice after that but continued to grind, starting with walking about 20 miles over 36 holes in his first outing in a knee brace at the Ryman Hospitality Intercollegiate.

Sargent kept up the fight through the injury and tied for 11th at the 2018 Conference USA Championship, the best conference tournament result by a Hilltopper since 2010. His 219 total was also the program's best since 2014.

His only familiarity with the Reunion Resort Watson Course where he'll participate this week came from playing the course when he was about 12 years old, although he said he has plenty of experience competing in Florida and knows what to expect.

And Hatchett knows what he expects from the standout Hilltopper.

"Mainly I want to see the confidence that if he plays his game, he can compete with anybody," Hatchett said. "Everyone wants to play against the best, and a lot of times the only thing that holds you back is you just haven't done it very often. You don't really have the confidence or know for sure if you can, and when you press and get out of your game plan, that's when you get in trouble. It's just understanding his game is good enough to compete."

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Billy Tom Sargent