AUBURN, Ala. (May 12, 2025) – University of North Alabama junior men's golfer Xing Luo finished tied for 46th on a rough, rain-filled day at the NCAA Regionals in Auburn on Monday, May 12.

This was the first day of the three-day tournament, playing 18 holes. Luo is the first Lion in program history to make the NCAA Division I Regionals. 

A two-hour rain delay put a pause on the tournament from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. However, Luo finished with a two-over afternoon for a score of 74 to tie for 46th. He added four birdies for the first round.  

Luo competed with No. 13 seed USC Upstate's Ross Wright and Arkansas State individual Thomas Schmidt. Wright finished in 73rd for the day at eight-over while Schmidt finished in 20th while breaking a 72. 

Luo, the 143rd golfer in the nation according to Clippd Scoreboard, finished higher than four other ranked golfers — all 130th in the nation or better. Most notably, he bested No. 85 Enrique Dimayuga from SMU.  

His 46th overall placement is tied with nine other golfers, including No. 106 in the nation Aiden Krafft from Oregon. 

The day started with a delay as all tee times were pushed back approximately 30 minutes as the course needed time to dry out from the past few days.

Nevertheless, Luo settled in quickly with his group, knocking in back-to-back pars for the first two holes.  

However, so did Schmidt. He matched Luo on the first three holes as both went for a birdie on the third. 

Luo managed another birdie on the fourth hole as Schmidt put one directly behind a tree for his next shot. The Red Wolf eventually parred the hole.  

Hole six saw both Schmidt and Luo putting one to the left into trees for tough shots on a 426 yard, par-4. Luo had to bend his around some trees to get a shot near the green. 

Schmidt regained the one stroke lead as he bogeyed the sixth hole. He then birdied the next while Luo parred on the seventh green.  

Luo parred on the eighth green before finishing out the ninth and 10th holes one-over for both. The junior recovered with a par on the 11th. 

The Lion roped one off the 12th tee box down the fairway. Then he took the fairway shot and placed it nicely on the green for the birdie opportunity. 

Then the horn sounded.  

A weather delay came into effect as lightning had struck close by, allowing everyone to make their way back to the clubhouse.  

After a two hour hiatus at 4:30 p.m. the groups began again. Luo made his back out to the 12th hole. 

The course saw some standing water with some mud around the edges. It helps rolling golf balls come to a stop and heavy hits come to a sudden pause.  

Luo bogeyed, birdied, bogeyed then birdied another to get through the 15th hole after the delay. 

He tee'd up from the 16th hole and put one down the fairway. As he begins to walk down to find his ball with the sun over top, the rain showed its face again. 

A downpour came as he looked onto the green with his umbrella in hand. The Schmitz Family Head Men's Golf Coach, Austin Phillips, went scattering for his rain jacket to get back out to help Luo with his next best shot.  

He parred the 571 yard par-5 even as the rain ensued. He then hit a nice iron on a par-3 over a a water hazard to two-put for another par. He finished out the 18th hole with a chip that put him near the hole before finishing off with his third straight par.  

"It was not his best day, but he fought to the end," said Phillips. "He caught some unlucky breaks, but there is still a lot of golf to play. The course will play tougher tomorrow, and I think that is where he will really shine."   

The junior from Katy, Texas finished tied for eighth for par-3s as he broke even with a 3.00 par-3 average on the first day. On par-5s he received a 12th overall placement with a two-under score at a 4.50 average on the holes. Luo added four birdies on the afternoon, putting him down for 17th best in the field. 

This tournament continues for Luo tomorrow at 9:31 a.m. on Tuesday, May 13.  
 
NCAA Regionals - Auburn 
Auburn University Club 

North Alabama Golfers 
T46. Xing Luo   74 | +2  

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