By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech men's golf team concluded the second round of action at the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate Monday afternoon, improving from a day one 298 with a 294 on the River Course of Sevier Golf Club in Sevierville, Tenn.
Not only did the Golden Eagles see a lift in their scoring, so did the entire the field of nine teams. Despite the four-shot improvement, Tech finished round two of the event in a tie for sixth place with Ohio Valley Conference foe Belmont. The two schools possessed two-day totals of 592, trailing Wright State by two shots for fifth place, Austin Peay by five shots for fourth place and Evansville by six shots for third place.
Carson-Newman extended its lead on its home course with an impressive 274 for a two-day score of 561. Lincoln Memorial ranked second with a 576.
Leading the way for the Golden Eagles for the second straight day was junior A.J. Wilkerson, who matched his first-round 72 with another even-par score. His two-day total of 144 placed him in a tie for eighth overall.
Also matching his first-round score on Monday, freshman Dabney Dickenson finished the day tied for 23rd and second among the Tech competitors. He tallied his second straight 3-over 75 for a 150 total.
Just one stroke behind Dickenson was junior Alexander Riddle, who carded a 78 to combine with his first-round 73 for 151. He finished tied for 27th overall, two strokes ahead of Tech's next member of the lineup, freshman Cameron Yeary. The rookie shaved three strokes off the 78 he fired in round one, posting a 3-over 75 for a 153 total.
Joining Wilkerson with the team-low round of 72 on the day was sophomore Matthew Giles, who moved up to fourth in the tournament field in par-five scoring with a 36-hole mark of 4-under. Giles notched just the sixth eagle of the event on Monday, joining his teammate Dickenson as a member of the list.
Playing as individuals, both Charles Seals and Landon Albert saw improvements from their first days in Sevierville. A true freshman, Seals trimmed five strokes off his first-round 77 for an even-par 72 and 149 total for two rounds. He also wrapped up the day tied for 19th place. Albert shot a 2-over 74, adding to his 77 on Sunday for a 151 composite score.
Tournament leader Dalton Reese, of Carson-Newman, fired a 3-under 69 to go with his 4-under 68 in round 1. He led his teammate, Tom Forster, and LMU's Sam Broadhurst by two strokes. Forster and Broadhurst both shot tournament-low 66s on Monday.
The Golden Eagles will wrap up play at the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate Tuesday afternoon, with play kicking off at 8:00 a.m. CT in a shotgun start.
Photo by Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information