Golden Eagles in big logjam after first day of Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate
Tennessee Tech is one of four teams tied for fifth place in a tightly packed race following the first two rounds Monday of the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate at the Sevierville Golf Course.
SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. – Fifteen feisty lumberjacks couldn't produce a more troubling logjam than the cluster of teams packed tightly in the middle of the standings following the first two rounds of the men's division of the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate at the Sevierville Golf Club.
While three teams hold an edge by finishing the first 36 holes under par, six more teams are tightly packed within two strokes of each other, leaving eight teams in the top five positions including a four-way tie for fifth.
That fifth-place group includes Tennessee Tech, which found a way to shave five shots from its first round total of 292 and card a 287 second round for a 579 total. Joining Tech at 579 are Wright State (290-289), Detroit (293-286), and UT Martin (287-292).
Southern Illinois holds the top spot in the team standings with rounds of 282 and 286 for an eight-under 568. That's one shot better than West Georgia, which recorded Monday scores of 282 and 287 for 569.
Jacksonville State is third at 575 with rounds of 283 and 292. In fourth is another of Tech's Ohio Valley Conference foes, Murray State, which had the low round of the day with an opening 280 to make the turn in first place. The Racers shot 297 on the second tour of the par-72 and 6,713-yard River Course.
Rounding out the 15-team race are Arkansas State (582), Longwood (584), Carson-Newman (586), Samford (587), Eastern Kentucky (588), Evansville (593) and Tennessee State (600).
Individually, Tomasz Anderson from Jacksonville State and Andrew Hall from Carson-Newman are tied for the lead at eight-under 136. Anderson had rounds of 69 and 67 on Monday, while Hall followed his first round 70 with the tournament's low round of 66.
For the Golden Eagles, junior Mitch Thomas is tied for 13th place with 143 after rounds of 71 and 72. Just one shot back and tied for 17th place are senior Lee Whitehead (73-71) and freshman Alexander Riddle (73-71) at 144. Junior Adam Cunningham (76-73) is tied for 46th place at 149, while junior Bryce Kendrick (75-76) is tied for 62nd place at 151.
Tech also has a pair of players competing as individuals. Senior Neil Gannaway settled down with a second round 77 after opening with an 82, and is in 78th place at 159, while freshman A.J.Wilkerson is one shot back (78-82) at 160.
Tuesday's final round is scheduled for a 10 a.m. shotgun start.
