CONOVER, N.C. --- The Tusculum College men's golf team has posted a two-round total of 614 and is in fifth place after the opening day of the 2011 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Championship, held on the Jones Course at the Rock Barn Golf Club & Spa.
Tusculum posted rounds of 303 and 311 on Monday on the 6,944-yard, par 72 layout. Newberry College has taken a 14-shot lead heading into Tuesday's 18 holes with 287-304=591. Lincoln Memorial University is second with 300-305=605, followed by Wingate University (304-307=611), Catawba College (301-312=613), Tusculum, Carson-Newman College (310-313=623), Lenoir-Rhyne University (314-310=624), Anderson University (312-323=635), Brevard College (309-342=651) and Mars Hill College (331-338=669).
Tusculum sophomore Nick York is tied for eighth place at 75-76=151. The 2011 All-SAC Second Team honoree got off to a slow start shooting four-over par 40 in his opening nine holes. But he bounced back shooting three over par for the next 27 holes, that included five birdie, including four in the second round.
Wingate's Clifford Blanquicet has sole possession of first place with 70-75=145 (+1) and has a one shot lead over Catawba's Brad Cline (73-73) and Matthew Kilen of Newberry (70-76), who are tied for second with 145. Newberry's Daniel Stanley is fourth with 70-77=1457, while LMU's Jamie Chapman posted back-to-back rounds of 74-74=148. Matthew Campbell (Newberry) and Joshua Cornett (LMU) are tied for sixth place at 149, while York, Liam Ashby (Carson-Newman and Elliot Blake (Catawba) and Cory Talley (LMU) are in a four-way tie for eighth.
Tusculum senior Lawson George and junior Derek Cantrell are tied for 16th place with 153 as both improved their respective first round performances.
George opened with a 77 and followed with a 76. In that second round, he opened with a 41 on his outward nine, but bounced back with a one-under par 35 to close out Monday's play, including a birdie on the par five 18th hole.
Cantrell, who opened with a 79, shaved five shots to posted a two-over par 74 as he birdied his first and last holes of the second round. His 74 was the fourth-best round posted in the afternoon.
Sophomore David Talley had the biggest roller-coast 36 holes of the day for the Pioneers. Talley opened with a one-over par 73 and found himself tied for fifth place. But in Monday's second 18, Talley posted an 88, including a 49 on his inward nine. He sits at 161 and is tied for 34th place.
Senior Luke Fullen is tied for 37th place at 163, following rounds of 78 and 85.
The final 18 holes will be played on Tuesday with the winner earning an automatic berth to next month's NCAA Division II Tournament.
- SAC -
South Atlantic Conference Men's Golf Championship
Pl. Team 1st 2nd Total
1 Newberry 287 304 591
2 Lincoln Memorial 300 305 605
3 Wingate 304 307 611
4 Catawba 301 312 613
5 TUSCULUM 303 311 614
6 Carson-Newman 310 313 623
7 Lenoir-Rhyne 314 310 624
8 Anderson 312 323 635
9 Brevard 309 342 651
10 Mars Hill 331 338 669
Tusculum Individual Scores
Pl. Player 1st 2nd Total
T8 Nick York 75 76 151
T16 Lawson George 77 76 153
T16 Derek Cantrell 79 74 153
T34 David Talley 73 88 161
T37 Luke Fullen 78 85 163
