Duke rises to the top on tough scoring day at GC of Georgia
Chandler Eaton (AGC photo)
On a fall day in Alpharetta, Ga., plagued by steady rain and gusting winds, the second round of the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate became about holding position. No team scored particularly low in the challenging conditions at the Golf Club of Georgia, but Duke’s performance allowed the Blue Devils to remain under par for the tournament.
After 36 holes, Duke is 1 under and the only tournament in the red. Credit the team for a 3-over 291 on Saturday, which was the low 18-hole score of the day. Duke players Alex Pendaries and Evan Katz were among few players to get under par. Both brought in a 1-under 71. Pendaries opened the back nine with an eagle at the par-5 first (he started on No. 10) and closed with a final birdie at No. 9.
Behind Duke, Texas A&M also left itself in contention with a round of 4-over 292 on Saturday. The Aggies are 2 over and still within striking distance. That’s four spots higher on the leaderboard than they were at the start of the day.
Two California schools, UCLA (4 over) and Pepperdine (7 over), are third and fourth, respectively. Pepperdine had been in the lead after a 12-under 276 in the opening round, but backed up to a 19-over 307 on Saturday. That was the highest score of any team in the second round.
Host Georgia Tech, the top-ranked team in the nation according to the
Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings and the latest coaches poll, lost a little bit more ground, falling one spot on the leaderboard to 10th. The Yellow Jackets were 13 over for the day and are 15 over for the tournament.
In the individual race, Texas A&M’s William Paysse maintained his lead with an even-par 72. He had opened with 67. Pendaries is right behind him at 4 under total.
ABOUT THE
Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate
The United States Collegiate Championship,
hosted by Georgia Tech, annually brings 15 of
the nation's top college teams to The Golf Club
of Georgia for a three-day, 54-hole
tournament
that has been called "the Masters of college
golf.” Started in 2006, the USCC offers PGA
Tour-type, championship conditions for the
nation's finest college players, including a
personal caddie for all three rounds. Long
pants
are required and galleries are able to walk in
the
fairways behind the players, similar to the
Walker Cup. The USCC crowns a Team
Champion
and Individual Champion and honors them on
the
perpetual mahogany, gold and crystal USCC
Trophy, which sits in The Golf Club of Georgia
lobby.
View Complete Tournament Information