Men's Golf Vaults into Third Place at NCAA Championships
5/31/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
First-round leader Arizona State shot a one-over 289 to hold on to its lead with a seven-under 569 after two rounds. The University of Florida, after a first-round 296, turned in today's low round of 278 to jump into second place. With a two-day score of 576, Wake Forest trails UF by just two strokes and Arizona by seven strokes.
Deacon sophomore Chris Yoder (Ashland, Ohio), the fifth player in the Deacon lineup, shot a career-best 68 to lead the WFU effort on Thursday. Yoder, whose previous best was a 70, bogeyed just one hole and is currently tied for 10th overall with a two-day score of 142 (-2). Teammate Brent Wanner (Chatham, Mass.) is also tied for 10th after carding a even 72 on Thursday to go with his first-round 70.
Arizona's Ricky Barnes leads the field individually with an 11-under 133. Barnes, along with Augusta State's Jamie Elson, shot a 65 on Thursday, tying the course record set by Wake's Wanner last fall at the Duke Classic.
WFU junior Jay Morgan (Choctaw, Okla.) contributed to the Deacon effort with a two-under 70 on Thursday, and is currently tied for 37th with a two-over 146. Freshman Bill Haas (Greer, S.C.) is 49th with a three-over 147 after an even-par on Thursday. Sophomore Cortland Lowe (Augusta, Ga.) is 61st with a five-over 149 (75-74).
"Yesterday I was in here (the media interview room) with Brent Wanner and Bill Haas and today I'm in here with Jay Morgan and Chris Yoder," said WFU head coach Jerry Haas. "I think it shows what kind of depth the Wake Forest golf team has. I told these guys before the week started that a lot of teams have one or two players they look to for lower scores, but I really feel that we have five players who are capable of doing that."
The 30-team NCAA field has now been cut to 15 for the final two rounds. On Friday morning, Wake Forest will tee off in the final group with Arizona and Florida, beginning at 9:00 a.m. from the first tee.
NCAA Men's Golf Championships
Duke University Golf Course - Durham, N.C.
Wake Forest Results
3rd TEAM 294-282 596 E
t-10th Chris Yoder 74-68 142 -2
t-10th Brent Wanner 70-72 142 -2
t-37th Jay Morgan 76-70 146 +2
t-49th Bill Haas 75-72 147 +3
t-61st Cortland Lowe 75-74 149 +5