Chico State takes lead at NCAA Div. 2 Championship
SIMPSONVILLE, Ky. (May 16) – Josh Creel's
late eagle kept him in the
individual lead and Derek Franco came
through with a clutch two-under-par
round as Central Oklahoma stayed near
the top of the leaderboard on the
second day of the NCAA Division II Men's
Golf Championships here
Wednesday.
The Bronchos followed Tuesday's
tournament-leading 279 with a two-over
290 to fall behind Cal State-Chico heading
into the final round of stroke play
Thursday. The Wildcats fired an 11-under
277 to finish two trips around The
Cardinal Club with a 566 total, three shots
ahead of UCO.
Cal State-Stanislaus is third at 573,
followed by Nova Southeastern (575),
Barry (577), Georgia College (577) and
Western Washington (578), with two
more teams tied for eighth at 580. The
top eight teams after 54 holes of
stroke play advance to the match play
portion of the tournament, with two
rounds set for Friday and the
championship finals Saturday.
Creel eagled the par-5 17th hole for the
second straight day to rally for a
two-under 70 that Franco matched by
playing his last seven holes three
under. The Bronchos also got a 74 from
Dillon Rust, while Baer Aneshansley
shot 76 and Andrew Green 84.
Creel has a one-stroke lead in the
medalist race over Chico's Eric Frazzette,
who shot a front-nine 29 and had 10
birdies in firing a nine-under 63.
UCO's five-player team amassed 25
birdies in the first round, but managed
just 12 Wednesday on a day when 29
players broke par.
Creel was one-under through five holes
after a birdie on the par-3 third hole
and then made two bogeys and another
birdie in making the turn at even-
par 36. The junior star opened the back
nine with seven consecutive pars
before collecting his second eagle of the
tournament on No. 17 and then
finishing with a par.
Franco was even par after four holes
before making two bogeys in a three-
hole stretch, getting one of those strokes
back with a birdie on the par-5
ninth hole to go out in 37. He was nearly
flawless on the back nine, making
birdies on Nos. 12, 13 and 17 to go with
six pars in coming in with a 33.
View results for NCAA Division II Championship
ABOUT THE NCAA Division II Championship
The National Championship of championship of
NCAA
Division II
men's college golf teams. From its inception through
2010, it was a 72-hole stroke play team
competition,
with an additional award for the lowest scoring
individual competitor. The team format changed
starting in 2011 to 54 holes of stroke play followed
by an eight-team single elimination medal match
play competition. The 54-hole individual leader is
the
individual champion.
View Complete Tournament Information