Haas Moves Up To Seventh Place At NCAA Golf Championship
6/2/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
June 2, 2004
Wake Forest's Bill Haas fired a two-under par 68 to move into a tie for seventh place and into contention for individual medalist honors at the NCAA Men's Golf Championship in Hot Springs, Va.
The Demon Deacon senior's two-day total of 138 (-2) is just two strokes off the pace. Three players - California's Jeff Hood, Arizona's Chris Nallen and Kentucky's Matt Wells - are in a first-place deadlock at 136 (-4). Three others are right behind at 137 (-3), followed by Haas and two more players tied at 138 (-2).
Haas had two birdies and one bogey on each nine today en route to his 34-34-68 on the par 70 layout at The Homestead. Today's round marked his sixth straight at par or better and his 34th (out of 40) round this season at par or better. Haas has shot in the 60s in seven of his last 11 competitive rounds.
"Bill really played well today," Wake Forest head coach Jerry Haas said. "He could have easily come in at 64 or 65. He is in control of his game and his patience is good."
Haas, the 2004 Ben Hogan Award winner and the two-time ACC Player of the Year, is vying to become the fifth Wake Forest player to win the NCAA Championship. He would join former Deacons Arnold Palmer (1949 and 1950), Curtis Strange (1974), Jay Haas (1975) and Gary Hallberg (1979). Jay Haas is Bill's father.
The 72-hole tournament continues Thursday and concludes Friday. Haas will tee off at 8:48 a.m. on Thursday and his coach sees that as an advantage.
"Fortunately, Bill goes off early tomorrow," Jerry Haas said. "If the winds pick up in the afternoon, it could play to his advantage."
Haas leads all ACC players in the 156-player field. Clemson's Matt Hendrix and Georgia Tech's Chan Wongluekiet are tied at 139 (-1).
California holds a slim one-stroke lead over Kentucky and a two-stroke advantage over BYU in the race for the team championship.
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Jeff Hood (California) - 65-136 (-4)
Chris Nallen (Arizona) - 68-136 (-4)
Matt Wells (Kentucky) - 68-136 (-4)
A.J. Elgert (Kansas State) - 69-137 (-3)
Travis Johnson (UCLA) - 68-137 (-3)
Ryan Moore (UNLV) - 70-137 (-3)
Bill Haas (WAKE FOREST) - 68-138 (-2)
Jason Hartwick (Texas) - 68-138 (-2)
Mark Leon (Penn State) - 69-138 (-2)