The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is partnering with the Palm Beach County Sports Commission to host the NCAA Division II Men’s Golf National Championship from May 17-21 at PGA National Resort & Spa’s Champion Course. This event will be the first NCAA Men’s Golf National Championship to take place in The Palm Beaches. 16 collegiate golf teams and four student-athletes competing as individuals, 84 players in total, have been selected to participate in the competition.
The NCAA Division II Men’s Golf National Championship will tee off on the Champion Course, which is unquestionably one of the best and most challenging golf courses in the United States. The Champion Course features the famed Bear Trap, a demanding three-hole stretched designed by Jack Nicklaus.
Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBAU) is also partnering with the Palm Beach County Sports Commission to oversee the event. PBAU will provide irreplaceable support by offering an abundance of volunteers, which are required to manage an event of this caliber. PBAU is a member of the Sunshine State Conference, a Division II affiliate of the NCAA.
The top four teams from each of the four NCAA Division II Men’s Golf Super Regionals earn a bid to compete in the tournament. Additionally, the top four individuals not with a team from each super regional will advance to participate in the event.
The NCAA Division II Men’s Golf National Championship will consist of both team and individual competitions conducted concurrently. After 54 holes of competition, the individual championship will conclude, and the top eight teams will advance to match play. The final eight teams will be seeded based on team scores, and compete in quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals to determine a champion.
The National Championship will provide a significant economic and tourism impact to Palm Beach County. Students, alumni, and golf fans are expected to visit The Palm Beaches and enjoy the crowning of a national champion. The event will create a significant level of visitor spending while filling hotel rooms across the county.
The tournament is one of many that the Palm Beach County Sports Commission has won a bid to host in recent years. Palm Beach County was home to the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf National Championship in 2019 and won the rights to host the 2020 Division III Men’s and Women’s Golf Championship before pandemic-related shutdowns forced the tournament’s cancelation. In future years, The Palm Beaches will be home to the 2022 Division I Men’s Golf Regional, 2025 NCAA Division II Men’s Golf Championships, and the 2026 NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championships.
“The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is thrilled to partner with Palm Beach Atlantic University in hosting the NCAA Division II Men’s Golf National Championship, which illustrates Palm Beach County as Florida’s Golf Capital,” said George Linley, Executive Director of Palm Beach County Sports Commission. “Very few communities have the privilege of hosting a collegiate national championship and we are honored to be hosting this event. This NCAA championship will attract invaluable exposure and generate an enormous positive impact to Palm Beach County’s hospitality industry.”