The LSU Tigers captured the NCAA National Golf Championship Wednesday after defeating the University of Southern California, 4-1, in the final round of match play at the Concession Golf Club in Sarasota, Fla.

It was the golf team’s first National Championship since 1955.

“It means everything,” LSU sophomore Brandon Pierce said. “Being that my dad, my grandpa and my grandmother went to LSU, I love LSU. I’ve grown up rooting for LSU. I love everything LSU, academically and athletically. Anytime one of LSU’s sports is teams are doing well, I’m excited for them. Being so close to the group of guys I was on the team with, and being so close to the coaches, it’s hard to explain. It’s the best feeling. It’s awesome for the people of Louisiana. We weren’t just playing just for ourselves. We were playing for anybody LSU.”

Pierce said when they got back to LSU there were 60 to 70 people outside of the athletic building cheering the team on.

Pierce’s father, Chavgney Pierce, and his grandparents on his father’s side, Huey Pierce and Martha Pierce, are from Bogalusa. His mother, Rebecca Pierce, was an engineer at Bogalusa the paper mill and taught at Bogalusa High School.

LSU qualified for the NCAA Championships by coming in the top five at regionals.

Thirty teams make it to the NCAA.

In the NCAA, they played three rounds of stroke play, and the top 15 teams advanced. They played one more round of stroke play, and the best eight advanced. From there, the teams went into match play where the seeding was based on where you finished in stroke play.

For stroke play, each team has five golfers, and the top four scores from each squad count. In match play, all five golfers’ scores count.

LSU made it out of the Race for Eight as the seventh-seeded team.

The Tigers played two match play rounds Tuesday. They defeated second-seeded Vanderbilt 3.5-1.5.

Pierce won his match 1up over Vanderbilt’s Theo Humphrey in 18 holes.

Benjamin Taylor was a winner against Matthias Schwab, 3 and 2 while Zach Wright won, 4 and 2, over Carson Jacobs.

Eric Ricard tied Zack Jaworski, which meant they split the point, and Stewart Jolly lost to Hunter Stewart, 3 and 2.

The win put the Tigers in the semifinal round against third-seeded Georgia. LSU was victorious over the Bulldogs, 3.5-1.5.

That win sent the Tigers to the finals in which they faced the University of Southern California Trojans.

Pierce tied to Sepp Straka. Taylor won his match, 2up, over Zach Healy, Wright was a 7 and 6 winner against Mookie DeMoss and Ricard won, 4 and 3, against Geryson Sigg.

Jolly lost his contest, 2 and 1, against Lee McCoy.

In the finals, the Tigers won four of their five matches over Southern California.

Pierce defeated Rico Hoey 2 and 1.

Taylor won his match 1up over Bobby Gojuangco, Wright was a 3 and 2 winner over Sean Crocker and Ricard defeated Jonah Texeria, 1up. Jolly lost his match, 1up, to Eric Sugimoto.