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UNCG remains in front at Men's Golf Championship
PINEHURST, N.C. – Defending champion UNC Greensboro remained in the lead but saw its day-one advantage shrink by two strokes as it will enter Tuesday’s final round of the Southern Conference Men’s Golf Championship with a four-stroke lead over ETSU after Monday’s second round at the par-72, 7,118-yard Pinehurst No. 9. Defending individual champion and Spartan sophomore Nick Lyerly shot his second straight 3-under-par 69 to move atop the leaderboard heading into the final round.
The Spartans followed Sunday’s opening 5-under 283 with a 6-over 294 Monday but lost just two strokes off its lead as seven of the eight teams turned in over-par team rounds on day two. Only Chattanooga finished under par, as the Mocs turned in a 1-under 287 to jump two spots into third place in the team race.
ETSU stayed put in second with a 4-over 292 Monday but inched closer to the Spartans.
UNCG’s Lyerly turned in his second consecutive round of 69 and fourth straight sub-par round in SoCon Championship play to move up one spot on the leaderboard with a 6-under 138. The sophomore from Salisbury, North Carolina, leads ETSU’s Shiso Go, who turned in 14 pars as part of a 2-under 70 Monday, by one stroke. The two will be paired together in Tuesday’s final round.
UNCG and ETSU each has three players in the top 10. Lyerly is joined by teammate and first-round leader Zack Swanson, who shot a 4-over 76 Monday and is tied for fifth at even-par 144, and Bryce Hendrix, whose even-par 72 moved him eight spots up the leaderboard into ninth at 2-over 146.
For the Bucs, Trevor Hulbert jumped seven spots into a tie for fifth with a 1-under 71 Monday. Jack Rhea fell four spots into a five-way tie for 10th at 3-over 147 after Monday’s 76.
Chattanooga’s Oliver Simonsen shot the day’s low round with a 4-under 68, vaulting him six spots into sole possession of third place at 4-under 140. The Mocs’ Lake Johnson is also in the top 10, as he is among the tie for 10th after Monday’s 1-over 73. UTC’s other two counting cards Monday were also 1-over 73s by Etienne Brault and Will Porter.
Furman held steady in fourth with Monday’s 294, matching its Sunday effort. Junior Stephen Reynolds leapt 14 spots into a tie for fifth at 144 with Monday’s 3-under 69. Scott Purvis is among the tie for 10th after Monday’s 2-over 74.
Mercer dropped two spots into a tie for fourth with Furman with an 11-over 299 Monday. Tyler Copp and Martin Plukka each shot a 74 on the day and are among the tie for 10th.
Wofford also shot 299 in the second round to advance one spot to sixth in the team race. The Terriers’ Walker Simas shot a 74 to fall two spots to eighth at 1-over 145.
Samford fell one spot to seventh with a 313 Monday. Freshman Connor Reid shot a 74 to drop two spots into fourth with a two-day total of 1-under 143.
Western Carolina, which shot 314 Monday, rounds out the field in eighth. Freshman Tumi Kúld shot an even-par 72 to jump eight spots into a tie for 15th at 4-over 148.
Teams will go off of holes 1 and 10 Tuesday starting at 7:30 a.m. Live stats can be found here.
2019 Southern Conference Men’s Golf Championship
Pinehurst No. 9
Par 72, 7,118 yards
Pinehurst, N.C.
Team results
Place Team Rd1 Rd2 Total
1. UNCG 283 294 577
2. ETSU 289 292 581
3. Chattanooga 296 287 583
T4. Furman 294 294 588
T4. Mercer 289 299 588
6. Wofford 304 299 603
7. Samford 297 313 610
8. Western Carolina 313 314 627
Individual leaders
Place Team Rd1 Rd2 Total
1. Nick Lyerly, UNCG 69 69 138
2. Shiso Go, ETSU 69 70 139
3. Oliver Simonsen, Chattanooga 72 68 140
4. Connor Reid, Samford 69 74 143
T5. Stephen Reynolds, Furman 75 69 144
T5. Trevor Hulbert, ETSU 73 71 144
T5. Zack Swanson, UNCG 68 76 144
8. Walker Simas, Wofford 71 74 145
9. Bryce Hendrix, UNCG 74 72 146
T10. Lake Johnson, Chattanooga 74 73 147
T10. Martin Plukka, Mercer 73 74 147
T10. Tyler Copp, Mercer 73 74 147
T10. Scott Purvis, Furman 73 74 147
T10. Jack Rhea, ETSU 71 76 147