Florida and South Carolina Take Lead after Round Two of Schenkel E-Z Go Invitational
3/21/2009 4:29:00 AM | Men's Golf
STATESBORO, GA ? No. 5 Florida and No. 12 South Carolina moved up on the leader board after day two at the 30th Annual Schenkel E-Z Go Invitational (March 21) to claim a two-way tie for first place. No. 21 Tennessee slid into third place after a first place finish on day one played at the par-72, 6,962-yard Forest Heights Country Club in Statesboro, Ga.
Entering the day in fifth place, Florida erased five strokes off its first round tally to move into a tie for first place with a second round 287, 579 (+3) two-day total. South Carolina jumped two spots to first with a 1-under 287 second round, shaving off three strokes from round one for a two day total 579 (+3). Among the elite field of 18, No. 21 Tennessee stands one stroke behind the leaders with a team total 580 (+4) in third place and holds a two stroke advantage over fourth place North Carolina State (582).
Host school No. 50 Georgia Southern slipped into a tie for fifth place with a second round 5-over par 293. The Eagles are tied with No. 53 Kentucky who tied for the biggest jump on day two. Kentucky entered the day in 14th place 9-over par to combine for a second round 1-under 287. The Wildcats were led by Ben Fuqua's hole-in-one registered on hole 15 to make a team total 584 after the second day. The Eagles and Wildcats stand two strokes behind fourth place NC State and five out of first.
Three individuals finished in a tie for first place, two of which were from Florida and NC State. The Wolfpack's Matt Hill finished the day 3-under par to jump from a tie for eighth place to a tie for first. Hill finished two rounds 4-under par alongside Augusta State's Taylor Ford (individual) and Florida's Tim McKenney.
“I know it sounds kind of crazy but it just seems like we wasted a lot of shots out there today. I'm not saying we played poorly,” said Florida head coach Buddy Alexander. “It looked pretty wasteful other than the fact that we did hit a lot good shots and did hit a lot of greens ? played pretty solidly to the green. But it could have been better.”
Georgia Southern posted a 293 second round ledger after a first round 291. Starting on the front nine, the Eagles were paced by sophomore Logan Blondell who registered an identical 71 to his first round. Blondell's 2-under par 142 puts him in a three-way tie for fifth place on the individual leader board after the first 36 holes.
“We didn't play our best round today. We had two good scores ? two 71s ? and two scores that were a little higher,” said Georgia Southern head coach Larry Mays. “We've played pretty good those first two rounds, but we still haven't played our best golf yet.”
After two rounds, Ryan Zabroske, competing on an individual basis, stands in a tie for 11th place with an even-par 144. Also an individual, Jordan Johnstun ties with teammate Drew Lethem for 23rd with a 2-over 146. Johnstun followed an opening round 75 with a second round 1-under 71, while Lethem shaved off four strokes from a first round 75 to card a second round 71.
Ryan LeFevre shot a 74 on the day putting him in a tie for 34th place at 3-over 147. LeFevre is followed by Joe Monte who carded a 78 in the second round to put him in a 56th place tie. Posting 77s in the first two rounds, Spencer Fulford completes Georgia Southern's starting five with a 10-over 154 two day total, placing him in a tie for 81st.
The final round of competition begins an hour earlier on Sunday (March 22). The first group of golfers will tie off at 7:51 a.m. on the back nine. Georgia Southern will start on the front nine at 8:54 a.m.
Fans can follow the final round of action at www.Golfstats.com.
Entering the day in fifth place, Florida erased five strokes off its first round tally to move into a tie for first place with a second round 287, 579 (+3) two-day total. South Carolina jumped two spots to first with a 1-under 287 second round, shaving off three strokes from round one for a two day total 579 (+3). Among the elite field of 18, No. 21 Tennessee stands one stroke behind the leaders with a team total 580 (+4) in third place and holds a two stroke advantage over fourth place North Carolina State (582).
Host school No. 50 Georgia Southern slipped into a tie for fifth place with a second round 5-over par 293. The Eagles are tied with No. 53 Kentucky who tied for the biggest jump on day two. Kentucky entered the day in 14th place 9-over par to combine for a second round 1-under 287. The Wildcats were led by Ben Fuqua's hole-in-one registered on hole 15 to make a team total 584 after the second day. The Eagles and Wildcats stand two strokes behind fourth place NC State and five out of first.
Three individuals finished in a tie for first place, two of which were from Florida and NC State. The Wolfpack's Matt Hill finished the day 3-under par to jump from a tie for eighth place to a tie for first. Hill finished two rounds 4-under par alongside Augusta State's Taylor Ford (individual) and Florida's Tim McKenney.
“I know it sounds kind of crazy but it just seems like we wasted a lot of shots out there today. I'm not saying we played poorly,” said Florida head coach Buddy Alexander. “It looked pretty wasteful other than the fact that we did hit a lot good shots and did hit a lot of greens ? played pretty solidly to the green. But it could have been better.”
Georgia Southern posted a 293 second round ledger after a first round 291. Starting on the front nine, the Eagles were paced by sophomore Logan Blondell who registered an identical 71 to his first round. Blondell's 2-under par 142 puts him in a three-way tie for fifth place on the individual leader board after the first 36 holes.
“We didn't play our best round today. We had two good scores ? two 71s ? and two scores that were a little higher,” said Georgia Southern head coach Larry Mays. “We've played pretty good those first two rounds, but we still haven't played our best golf yet.”
After two rounds, Ryan Zabroske, competing on an individual basis, stands in a tie for 11th place with an even-par 144. Also an individual, Jordan Johnstun ties with teammate Drew Lethem for 23rd with a 2-over 146. Johnstun followed an opening round 75 with a second round 1-under 71, while Lethem shaved off four strokes from a first round 75 to card a second round 71.
Ryan LeFevre shot a 74 on the day putting him in a tie for 34th place at 3-over 147. LeFevre is followed by Joe Monte who carded a 78 in the second round to put him in a 56th place tie. Posting 77s in the first two rounds, Spencer Fulford completes Georgia Southern's starting five with a 10-over 154 two day total, placing him in a tie for 81st.
The final round of competition begins an hour earlier on Sunday (March 22). The first group of golfers will tie off at 7:51 a.m. on the back nine. Georgia Southern will start on the front nine at 8:54 a.m.
Fans can follow the final round of action at www.Golfstats.com.
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