Bama earns top seed in NCAA golf match

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. -  The Alabama men’s golf team qualified for the match play portion of the NCAA Championships on Thursday with a 3-over-par round of 285 for a 7-over-par total of 859 to finish on top of the stroke-play portion of the 2012 NCAA Championships at the Riviera Country Club.

The Crimson Tide beat UCLA (+9, 861) by two strokes after the Bruins shot 1-over 285 on Thursday. Alabama will face the eighth seed in match play, which begins at 12 p.m. (CDT) on Friday.

Sophomore Cory Whitsett led the Crimson Tide individually with a tie for fourth at 1-under-par 212. He shot even-par 71 in the third round. Freshman Justin Thomas shot 2-over-par 73 on Thursday to finish tied for seventh at even-par 213.

Senior Hunter Hamrick played his final stroke play round at Alabama in 1-under-par 70 to pace UA in the final round. He birdied the 16 ^th and 17 ^th holes to post a tie for 22 ^nd at 3-over-par 216. Bobby Wyatt shot 2-over 73 Thursday while Scott Strohmeyer carded a 75.

-- Univ. of Alabama media services