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In each of the last two seasons, the UCLA men’s golf team has teed off in the first round of the NCAA Championships as one of the favorites to win the national title. Those lofty expectations won’t surround the 13th-ranked Bruins this year. Instead, when UCLA opens up its final tournament of the season this afternoon at the Caves Valley Golf Club near Baltimore, Md., the Bruins will have already accomplished what others didn’t think possible: merely qualify for the NCAAs. “It’s a real accomplishment for our team to have earned a berth into the NCAA Tournament,” UCLA coach O.D. Vincent said. “But the goal of our program is to qualify and contend every year.” With senior John Poucher as the lone returning starter from last year’s second-ranked Bruin team, many thought this would be a rebuilding year for UCLA. And though the Bruins certainly struggled, not winning a spring tournament for the first time since Vincent arrived in Westwood three years ago, they have peaked at exactly the right time. UCLA posted two fourth-place finishes at the Pac-10 Championships and the NCAA West Regional, arguably the team’s best stretch of golf this season. But to have any chance at NCAAs, Vincent and his team know that each of the five starters heading to Caves Valley will have to play well in order for the Bruins to have any chance to walk away as national champions. But such a scenario is not unprecedented. Last season, 20th-ranked and unheralded Cal shocked UCLA, who entered the final round with the lead, to claim the national title. “This year, it’s a wide-open field,” Vincent said. “We’ve got a good chance to play real well. It’s just a matter of getting all of our players to score well at the same time.” And if the Bruins are to contend, their chances will most likely rely on the play of freshman Kevin Chappell. The Fresno native led UCLA in both of its previous two postseason tournaments, posting consecutive top-10 finishes. Making the trip to Baltimore along with Chappell will be Poucher, freshman Daniel Im and sophomores Chris Heintz and Joakim Renstrom.

FRINGE FACTS: Caves Valley will play to 7,131 yards and a par of 70. ... The Bruins tee off today at 10:03 a.m. PST off the first hole. ... UCLA finished tied for 12th at the Fall Preview at Caves Valley back in September.