– It was a different story for Lee University in the second round of the NCAA Division II Men's Golf Championship which is being staged at the PGA National Resort. The Flames played outstanding golf during the morning round on Monday but struggled during the afternoon winds on Tuesday.
After putting a team total of 287 and holding down third place after day one, Lee slipped to the 10th spot after a 301 and a two-day total of 588 heading into Wednesday’s 18 holes. Missouri S&T University was the hottest team on the course Tuesday.
They put together an 8-under 280 and took over first place with a 569. St. Mary’s University (TX), the leader after Monday’s play, dropped into a tie for second with a 293 and a 572 total.
The University of West Florida caught fire during the second round and posted a 6-under 282 and moved into a tie for second (572). Colorado Christian University earned a 3-under 285 and stands in fourth place at 576 while Wingate University moved into the top five with a 1-under 287 and a 578 total. Lee trails Lincoln Memorial University and the University of Central Oklahoma (585) by three strokes as they seek to move up in the standings and earn one of the key eight positions.
Individually, the Flames were led by Drew Zielinski who came in with a 2-under 70. He had an eagle on No. 6 but had that wiped out with his double bogey on No. 17. All totaled, Zielinski recorded four birdies. Luke Stock followed with a 4-over 76. He also joined his teammates with double-bogey problems but came battling back with a birdie on the final hole. In fact, two other Flames had birdies on No. 18.
Bennett McNabb was brilliant on Monday but struggled on Tuesday, finishing with a 5-over 77. Talk about a fighter, George Cordall refused to throw in the towel. He found a way to record an eagle on No. 18 and tie teammate Mitchell Strickland with a round of 6-over 78.
Florida Southern’s Colton Swartz nailed the hole of Tuesday’s play when he thrilled his teammates with an eagle on No. 18. The shot gave him a 1-under 71 and a two-day total of 138. He is tied for medalist honors with University of North Georgia’s Hunter Smith who had a 67. Wingate’s Lewis Breeden holds down the third spot after a 2-under 69 and 139 total. Three other golfers are tied for the fourth spot with a two-day total of 140.
Coach Evan Spence’s thoughts:
“It was definitely a tougher test out there in the wind this afternoon. We knew this was coming after getting to play in the calmer conditions yesterday morning. Unfortunately, we just didn’t execute to the best of our ability today as a team, outside of Drew who was fantastic for the vast majority of the day. The positive for us is because of our nice play on Monday, we are still in it with a chance to crack that top eight tomorrow. It is going to take a team round and some things to fall our way, but it is certainly out there. We have been here before and I have all the confidence in the world that we are going to go out and give it a great fight tomorrow.”