Troy University Athletics
Trojans Struggle on Day One In New Orleans
2/9/2009 6:00:00 AM | Golf
AVONDALE, La. ? The Troy University golf team struggled to a 12th place finish following first-day action of the Mardi Gras Invitational on Monday at TPC Louisiana.
The TPC Louisiana, which annually hosts the PGA Tour's Zurich Classic, is a Pete Dye designed course with a par 72 over 7,000 yards. The tournament's third, and final, round will be played on Tuesday morning.
“We have some guys that aren't playing with a lot of confidence right now,” Trojans coach Matt Terry said. “It is not an easy course, but we made it harder than it is by making mistakes, and it all goes back to a lack of confidence.”
Seniors Michael McGrady (Hararre, Zimbabwe) and Jay Harris (Killen, Ala.) are both tied for 33rd after the first two rounds of the tournament with scores of 153, nine-over par. Harris opened with a round of 76 and followed up with a 77.
McGrady struggled to a 79 in the opening round before bouncing back with a 74, which was the best round of the day for the Trojans.
Freshman Rourke Van Der Spuy (Bluff, KwaZuluNatal, South Africa) is two shots back of his senior teammates, tied for 44th place overall, after posting scores of 77-78 on the opening day.
Senior Wes Parker (Enterprise, Ala.) is tied for 65th after rounds of 78-82 left him with an 16-over score of 160. Parker's day was highlighted by a hole-in-one on No. 14 in the first round.
“It was playing about 178-180 yards and he flew it in on the fly with a six iron,” Terry said. “I thought, at that point, that we were gaining momentum because we had just had a couple of birdies on the previous hole.”
Junior Chase Whitehead (Eufaula, Ala.) is tied for 67th after scores of 83-78=161 on the first day of play.
“We are playing so well back in Troy, but we haven't been able to carry that over to tournaments,” Terry said. “We are so much better than we are showing.”
Southeastern Louisiana set the pace for the tournament on the first day, as the Lions posted a collective score of 13-over-par 589. Mercer is in second place, one shot back, and West Florida, which held the first round lead, is in third after following a one-over 289 in the first round with a 19-over 307 in the second round.
Individually, Campbell's Vaita Guillaume and Mercer's Ryan Blackburn are tied for the tournament lead after both players posted identical rounds of 70-72 for a two-under-par total of 142.
The Trojans will open the final round of the tournament at 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday.
The TPC Louisiana, which annually hosts the PGA Tour's Zurich Classic, is a Pete Dye designed course with a par 72 over 7,000 yards. The tournament's third, and final, round will be played on Tuesday morning.
“We have some guys that aren't playing with a lot of confidence right now,” Trojans coach Matt Terry said. “It is not an easy course, but we made it harder than it is by making mistakes, and it all goes back to a lack of confidence.”
Seniors Michael McGrady (Hararre, Zimbabwe) and Jay Harris (Killen, Ala.) are both tied for 33rd after the first two rounds of the tournament with scores of 153, nine-over par. Harris opened with a round of 76 and followed up with a 77.
McGrady struggled to a 79 in the opening round before bouncing back with a 74, which was the best round of the day for the Trojans.
Freshman Rourke Van Der Spuy (Bluff, KwaZuluNatal, South Africa) is two shots back of his senior teammates, tied for 44th place overall, after posting scores of 77-78 on the opening day.
Senior Wes Parker (Enterprise, Ala.) is tied for 65th after rounds of 78-82 left him with an 16-over score of 160. Parker's day was highlighted by a hole-in-one on No. 14 in the first round.
“It was playing about 178-180 yards and he flew it in on the fly with a six iron,” Terry said. “I thought, at that point, that we were gaining momentum because we had just had a couple of birdies on the previous hole.”
Junior Chase Whitehead (Eufaula, Ala.) is tied for 67th after scores of 83-78=161 on the first day of play.
“We are playing so well back in Troy, but we haven't been able to carry that over to tournaments,” Terry said. “We are so much better than we are showing.”
Southeastern Louisiana set the pace for the tournament on the first day, as the Lions posted a collective score of 13-over-par 589. Mercer is in second place, one shot back, and West Florida, which held the first round lead, is in third after following a one-over 289 in the first round with a 19-over 307 in the second round.
Individually, Campbell's Vaita Guillaume and Mercer's Ryan Blackburn are tied for the tournament lead after both players posted identical rounds of 70-72 for a two-under-par total of 142.
The Trojans will open the final round of the tournament at 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday.
Troy vs Mercer (Full Highlights)
Thursday, September 11
Amiah Butler Postgame Press Conference - Mercer
Thursday, September 11
Josh Lauer Postgame Press Conference - Mercer
Thursday, September 11
𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗹 - 𝗦𝟭𝟬, 𝗘𝟮
Wednesday, September 10