Leaderboard | Rd. 3 Pairings

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Matt Mierzejewski carded a 72-74, and Georgia Southern shot 291 as a team on its final 18 holes of the day to tie for eighth after the first two rounds of the SunTrust Gator Invitational at Mark Bostick Golf Course Saturday.

The Eagles (+27) are tied with Georgia State and four strokes behind fifth-place Vanderbilt (+23). Liberty (+24) is in sixth place, followed by UAB (+25). South Florida (-2) leads the tournament, followed by Arkansas (E).

"The course presented many tough challenges, including new and firm greens on an already tough course, and overall, I thought we handled those challenges well, we just didn't play well for all 36 holes," said Georgia Southern coach Carter Collins. "We had 75 or better from everyone on the first 18, but we didn't have those one or two standout rounds to separate ourselves. In the second round, we got off to a rough start but turned the momentum and played well to finish." 

Mierzejewski is tied for 23rd, while Scott Wolfes, Charlie Martin and Kim Koivu are all tied for 32nd after shooting 147. Archer Price shot a 75-79=154, and Jake Storey, who is playing as an individual this week, shot 72-74=146 and is tied for 23rd.

Mierzejewski bogeyed his first two holes and was five-over through 17 before the senior finished with a birdie and a first-round 74. He was 4-over after his first 10 holes in the second round but shot 2-under the rest of the way to finish with a 72.

Wolfes started the day with three bogeys on his first four holes before getting things going. He played even the rest of the round, birdieing his final hole for a 73. He was 1-over after his first 11 holes of round two but posted a bogey and a double coming in for a 74.

Martin was 2-over after his first 13 holes of the day and birdied the par-5 seventh to move to 1-over. He double bogeyed the par-3 eighth and posted a first-round total of 74. The senior was even after 13 holes in round two but bogeyed holes 6 and 7 for a 72.

Koivu posted par on his first eight holes and was 2-over through 16 holes, but the senior scored a triple bogey on the par-3 8th hole and carded a first-round 75. Birdies on holes 1 and 2 helped him get to even par but he played his final five holes 2-over to finish with a 72 in round two.

Price parred his first five holes and was 1-over through 11 holes but notched four bogeys coming in and finished with a first-round 75. It didn't get any better for the freshman in the second round, and he finished the day without a birdie.

Storey bogeyed two of the first three holes in his first collegiate action but was even-par the rest of the way for a team-best 72 in the first round. The freshman birdied two of his final three holes to card a 74 in the second round.

The third and final round is set for Sunday at the Mark Bostick Golf Course. The Eagles are paired with UAB and Mercer and will tee off at 9 a.m. tomorrow.

"I'm proud of the grind from the team," said Collins. "We didn't play our best today, but we played hard with everything the course gave us. Things are tight, and with a good round tomorrow, we can shoot up the board."

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