Results
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Despite steady rain throughout the day, the Eckerd College men's golf program and the rest of the field completed the first two rounds of play at the Jay Jennison Memorial Invitational hosted by Flagler College on Monday.
In their second tournament of the fall, the Tritons (303-307--610) are currently tied for 15th with Young Harris (Ga.) College in the field of 17 schools at The Palencia Club. The host Flagler (575) holds a narrow three-shot lead over Georgia College and Lander University in the race for the team title.
Alex Weare of Queens (N.C.) University is a combined 6-under par with a two-round total of 138 to pace all individuals heading into Tuesday's final round.
"This is a golf course that challenges numbers and today we had too many doubles and triples on the same nine," said EC Head Coach
Bill Buttner. "It was raining the whole time with moments of clearing. The course was saturated, but there was no lightning at all and we weren't delayed."
Seniors
Jeff Evanier (74-79) and
Greg Reilly are both tied for 56th in the field following a combined two-round score of 153 lead the Tritons.
Historically, Evanier has turned in elite performances at the Jay Jennison Memorial Invitational. He claimed medalist honors (his first collegiate title) at the event two years ago to begin his sophomore season and had a strong start to the 2012 edition.
"Jeff is a very good driver of the golf ball," Buttner said. "He's been able to manage the course well, but the conditions from today didn't yield a strong driving exhibition. Greg fought through and had a very good ball-striking round of 18 to begin the day."
Sophomore
Jake Solomon, entering the event as the team leader in scoring average (72.67), closed the day strong with a 73 (+1) to nearly break par on his second round of 18. He tied for eighth at the Coastal Georgia Fall Invitational just last week.
Solomon effectively bounced back from an opening-round tally of 81, discounted from the team's score in the first 18 holes.
Newcomers
Johan Nordahl and
Callum Mackay are just one stroke and two strokes off the pace of Solomon, respectively. They are tied for 65th and 70th with their best rounds on the links in the form of a 77 and 76.
The Jay Jennison Memorial Invitational will conclude with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start tomorrow morning. Eckerd is slated to tee off on holes 13 through 16 to begin the third and final round.
