Mark Guhne fiddled with a piece of wood as he watched Derek Rende line up the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s final putt of the NCAA East Regional.

Rende missed and settled for par, and Coach Guhne flipped the stick away in disgust.

The Mocs tossed away a good opportunity to advance to the NCAA Championship. If they had shot even par after entering the day 5 under for the regional, they would have been the first UTC team to play in the NCAA final tournament since the program started 30 years ago.

UTC shot 6 over par.

“We really didn’t have anybody ever shoot 66 or 65 or what we needed to compete in this tournament,” sophomore Fredrik Qvicker said. “We know we can do it; it’s just a matter of doing it under these circumstances.”

The Mocs’ season is over. At one point this year, they were the No. 12 team in the nation. They won five tournaments, earned head-to-head wins over some of the nation’s elite and had a resume worthy of a No. 5 East seed.

“To those five guys, it’s a very bitter disappointment,” Guhne said. “They wanted it so bad, and maybe that was a part of it. This is what they’ve talked about all year.

“I know this won’t sit well for quite some time.”

The Mocs’ chances flew away in the Saturday afternoon breeze. They were 5 under as a team through the first three holes but gave all of those shots back by the turn.

Then they picked up seven shots on the first two holes of the back side and appeared to be in position to advance.

“We’d get it under; then we’d give it right back,” Guhne said. “We kept trying but couldn’t close.”

The Mocs’ trip from under to over par lasted three holes — the last three. UTC shot 8 over on Nos. 16, 17 and 18 on Saturday. It shot 19 over on those holes in the tournament.

“We battled to get it to par and then under par, and then we’d give it right back,” Guhne said. “We did that for three days. We know how to play this course, and we gave shots back coming in.”

The Mocs never found their comfort zone on a course they’ve played hundreds of times. Only four of their combined 15 rounds were under par. Jonathan Hodge had two of time and finished tied for 23rd at 3-under-par 210.

The Mocs were 16 over on Nos. 17 and 18 during the tournament.

“One of the guys usually steps it up takes it low, and the others follow,” Guhne said. “We never had that for three days.”

Qvicker finished even for the tournament. Rende concluded at 2-over 215, Ben Rickett shot a 216 and J.T. Clendenin shot 225.

“There’s no doubt we let our chances to win the NCAAs slip away,” Rende said. “We played bad; I don’t know why.”