Spartans 3rd at Midpoint of NCAA Nationals
7/27/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
May 23, 2007
Allendale, Mich. - Ian Schneider played the final nine holes of his round 1-under-par and finished with a 2-over-par 73 to lead the 10th-ranked USC Upstate men's golf team to a team total 297 in the second round of the 2007 NCAA Division II National Championships Wednesday afternoon at The Meadows. Schneider and the Spartans entered the day tied for third and that's exactly how the Spartans ended the day, still trailing tournament leader Barry by seven strokes entering the final two rounds of the championships.
Upstate was in the first group out on the day and posted the 297 for a two-day total of 296-297=593 on the 6,992-yard, par 72 course. The Spartans were the leaders in the clubhouse until Columbus State finished with a 291 to move from a tie for 10th into a tie for third with the Spartans. Barry equaled the 297 put up by Upstate to remain in the lead with a 289-297=586 total, while the nation's No. 1 team, Florida Southern, made its move with a 292 to move into second place with a 299-292=591 total. Upstate is one of four Peach Belt Conference schools in the national championships. The Spartans are tied with conference foe Columbus State. Georgia College & State moved up from a tie for 13th into seventh place, while Lander fell from fifth entering Wednesday to a tie for 11th.
Schneider started the day with bogeys on two of the first four holes and went out in 3-over-par 39. However, the graduate student from Charlotte, N.C., made three birdies on the back nine to come in with a 34 and a 2-over-par effort to lead the Spartan individuals. Michael Lawrence continued his solid play in the tournament as well. He started the day with 11 straight pars before bogeying four holes on the back nine to settle for a 3-over-par 74. Schneider is tied for 16th individually, while Lawrence is tied for 24th.
Baxter Culler and Josh Gallman each shot rounds of 4-over-par 75 to help the Spartan cause. Culler was two shots better Wednesday than in his opening-round 76 Tuesday. Tyler Tucker, who led the Spartans in the first round Tuesday, finished the day with an 80.
Sonoma State's Jarin Todd shot a 1-over-par 72 Wednesday and holds a two-stroke lead over Barry's Hernan Borja individually. Todd is at 141, while Borja has a 143 total.
Team Scores
1. Barry 289-297=586; 2. Florida Southern 299-292=591; T3. USC Upstate 296-297=593, Columbus State 302-291=593; 5. Grand Canyon 292-305=597; 6. Sonoma State 303-297=600; 7. Georgia College & State 304-297=601; 8. Washburn 296-306=602; 9. Cal State Stanislaus 307-296=603; 10. Cal State San Bernardino 300-306=606; T11. Abilene Christian 306-301=607, Lander 297-310=607; 13. Belmont Abbey 302-206=608; 14. Cameron 298-312=610; 15. North Alabama 301-311=612; 16. Ferris State 304-316=620; T17. Fairmont State 307-314=621, Western New Mexico 305-316=621; 19. Le Moyne 318-310=628; 20. Florida Gulf Coast 312-319=632.
Upstate Individuals
T16. Ian Schneider 75-73=148 (+6); T24. Josh Gallman 74-75=149 (+7), Michael Lawrence 75-74=149 (+7); T42. Baxter Culler 77-75=152 (+10), Tyler Tucker 72-80=152 (+10).
