By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Tennessee Tech men's golf team worked through the first two rounds of the Golfweek Spring Invitational Monday, competing at True Blue Golf Course in Myrtle Beach.
The Golden Eagles fired a first-round score of 287 before finishing the day with a 293 and total score of 580 through 36 holes to rank seventh among the 10 teams in competition. North Dakota State led the way overall, posting a 279-277=556 to sit 20 shots under par. Campbell's Pontus Nyholm led all participants with a 69-66=135 individually.
Near the top of the leaderboard and pacing the purple and gold was senior Bracton Womack, tying for sixth after two rounds of play. The McMinnville, Tenn. native carded a 69-71=140, finishing the day 4-under.
A few shots back was fellow senior Will Brooks, ranking 24th with a 73-71=144. The local Cookeville product represented the only golfer in the field of 57 to finish at even-par through the end of the day.
Rookie Mark McDearman tied for 30th, just two strokes behind his teammate, after producing a 71-75=146. He also provided the highlight of the day and the tournament, turning his first collegiate hole-in-one. The Lebanon native delivered the ace on the par-3 seventh at True Blue.
Competing as an individual, Chance Taylor tied for 36th overall after wrapping up at 4-over. The junior shot rounds of 72 and 76 for a 148 total.
Ranking in a tie for 42nd with a 74-76=150 was junior Bryce Beeler. Sophomore Nick Sutton rounded out the Tech lineup, posting a couple of rounds of 76 for a 152.
Round three of the Golfweek Spring Invitational is slated for a shotgun start at 6:30 a.m. CT Tuesday morning.
| Top 5 Teams: | ||||||
| 1. | North Dakota State | 279-277=556 | -20 | |||
| T-2. | Campbell | 284-280=564 | -12 | |||
| T-2. | Delaware | 277-287=564 | -12 | |||
| 4. | Old Dominion | 286-280=566 | -10 | |||
| 5. | Radford | 290-283=573 | -3 | |||
| 7. | Tennessee Tech | 287-293=580 | +4 | |||
| Leaderboard (57 Golfers) | ||||||
| 1. | Pontus Nyholm (Campbell) | 69-66=135 | -9 | |||
| T-6. | Bracton Womack | 69-71=140 | -4 | |||
| 24. | Will Brooks | 73-71=144 | E | |||
| T-30. | Mark McDearman | 71-75=146 | +2 | |||
| T-36. | Chance Taylor* | 72-76=148 | +4 | |||
| T-42. | Bryce Beeler | 74-76=150 | +6 | |||
| T-45. | Nick Sutton | 76-76=152 | +8 | |||
| *competed as an individual | ||||||
Photo by Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
