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Homa wins NCAA men's golf title, leads Cal to top seed heading into match play for team crown

Associated Press
Published | Updated

California's Max Homa hits from the tee on the 16th hole during the NCAA Division 1 men's golf championship Thursday, May 30, 2013, in Milton, Ga. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) (The Associated Press)

California's Max Homa hits from the fairway on the 17th hole during the NCAA Division 1 men's golf championship Thursday, May 30, 2013, in Milton, Ga. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) (The Associated Press)

California's Max Homa shot a 4-under 66 to win the individual title at the NCAA golf championship Thursday, and his steady play carried the Bears to the top seed heading into team match play.

The Bears' senior leader birdied three of the first five holes, surging past second-round leader Jon Rahm of Arizona State, and didn't make a bogey on the Capital City Club's Crabapple course north of Atlanta.

Homa won the title by three strokes over Rahm and five others. Cal teammate Brandon Hagy was in the mix until a double-bogey at the par-3 15th.

The nation's top-ranked team, the Bears lived up to their billing with a 16-under total. Host Georgia Tech was six strokes back as the top eight teams advanced to match play beginning Friday.