Dalton State took advantage of the near perfect conditions on Wednesday, firing a (-2, 282) team score and trimming the gap to the leader to one-stroke after the second round of the NAIA National Championship at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill. #8 Coastal Georgia, (-3, 565), is holding on to the narrow lead, just ahead of the Roadrunners, (-2, 566).
Round 1 co-leader #5 Keiser (Fla.), (+9, 293), and #1 Oklahoma City, (-2, 282), share third at (+4, 572). #6 Texas Wesleyan, (+8, 576) rounds out the Top-5.
Chase Cole started the day off for the Roadrunners on No.
10. It would be a rough beginning for Cole with a triple-bogey on No. 11 followed by a bogey on No. 12 to quickly go to (+4) on the round. He would settle down and birdie Nos. 16 & 17 before making the turn to the front. Cole would birdie Nos. 1 & 6 to miraculously get back to (E) on the round, but he would run out of steam, closing with bogeys on Nos. 8 & 9 to finish his roller coaster day with a (+2, 73).
Senior Dalton Johnson would struggle in Round 2 after a tremendous round on Tuesday. Johnson would bogey three of his first four holes before getting a stroke back at No. 14 to make the turn at (+2). The front 9 would victimize Johnson as four bogeys saw him shoot (+6, 77) on the day.
Ben Rebne would struggle at the beginning of his round as well with bogeys at Nos. 11 & 13 to hit the front 9 at 2-over. Rebne would catch fire with birdies at Nos. 3, 7, & 8 to hit red figures for the round at 1-under.
All-American P.J. Shields would have another solid day, posting (E, 71). Shields would card two bogeys and one birdie on the back 9 to open, but a birdie at No. 2 would get him back to (E). Shields looked destined for an over-par round after bogeys at Nos. 5 & 7, but back-to-back birdies to close at Nos. 8 & 9 were huge for the team score.
Fellow All-American S.M. Lee put together another impressive round, firing a (-3, 68) to take the overall lead at 5-under. Lee would open with a birdie at No. 10 then pick up another stroke at No. 14. A bogey at No. 15 would be followed by nine consecutive pars before back-to-back birdies at Nos. 7 & 8 pushed Lee to 3-under to close the round.
#2 Dalton State will look to take the overall lead tomorrow when they tee it up in the third round of the NAIA National Championship at TPC Deere Run in Silvis. Ill. The Roadrunners will tee off No. 1 beginning at 1:40 p.m. (CDT) and will be paired with #8 Coastal Georgia and #1 Oklahoma City.