Goecke was in the mix for the most prestigious individual title in college golf to the very end. He finished tied for second in medal play at 2-under-par, one stroke behind winner Hiroshi Tai of Georgia Tech.
The Xenia native shot a 1-under 71 in the fourth round Monday to go with earlier scores of 73-73-69 on the 7,538-yard North Course at the Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, Calif.
Former champion Gordon Sargent of Vanderbilt, Florida State’s Luke Clanton, Auburn’s Jackson Kolvun, Virginia’s Ben James and Illinois freshman and Stanford Regional winner Max Herendeen also finished 2-under.
The Illini easily finished first in the team competition and will be the No. 1 seed in match play. They were a collective 6-under, while second-place Vanderbilt was 10-over.
Their bid for the program’s first national title begins today against defending champion Georgia Tech.
Vandalia Butler grad Austin Greaser, who had a strong final round with a 71 to finish tied for 46th, will lead North Carolina (fourth seed) against Florida State (5) in the quarterfinals
Vanderbilt (2) will face Ohio State (7), and Virginia (3) will play Auburn (6) in the other matches.
The Golf Channel will broadcast the quarterfinals from 1-5 p.m. and semifinals from 6-10 p.m. today.
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