Battling top NCAA Division II teams from across the southeast, the Lee men’s golf team will hold down third place when the final 18 holes of the 54-hole Aflac Cougar Invitational gets underway on Tuesday morning.
"All in all we have put ourselves in good position heading into tomorrow and that was the plan,” said coach John Maupin after his team fired consecutive rounds of 284 and posted an even-par 568 after a full day of play on Monday.
“We didn't always make it easy on ourselves,” he added.
“But I'm really happy with the toughness our guys showed today. At points in both rounds we were seven or eight over. Our guys were able to bring it back each time. If we clean some things up we should have a chance to post a great round tomorrow."
Host Columbus State and Lander University (S.C.) are the first-day leaders. They were 3-under par (565). The Flames and Gulf South Conference rival West Georgia are deadlocked for third while Florida Tech and North Alabama are tied for fifth at 570. A total of 17 teams are taking part in the tournament being held at the Columbus Country Club.
Sophomore Taylor Davis continued his outstanding play for Lee and holds down a tie for sixth place with two other West Georgia golfers at 139, 3-under par. Davis started the day with an even-par 71 and then turned right around to card a 3-under 68 on the final 18.
Henry Gee (Clayton State) and James Bartlett (Lander) are tied for the medalist leader. The tallied a 70-64 and Bartlett a more consistent 68-66, giving both a 36-hole total of 134.
Lee sophomores Adam Wright and Payton Sliger are tied for the 18th spot. Wright recorded a 71-72 and Sliger had the same 143 finish after his rounds of 73-70. Newcomers Matt Strube and Corey Sheppard both had rounds of 71-74 -145.