Trojans Post Second Round of 301, Slip to 9th at SBC Championship

Monday, April 25

Muscle Shoals, AL

Troy University

Middle Tennessee State University

Photo by: Ricky Hazel

Trojans Post Second Round of 301, Slip to 9th at SBC Championship

4/26/2011 9:28:00 PM | Golf (M)

By: Ricky Hazel

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MUSCLE SHOALS, Ala. – Just like in Monday's opening round of play at the Sun Belt Conference Golf Championship, the Troy Trojans had a three-hole stretch on Tuesday that turned a potentially good round into a disappointing 301 finish.

On Monday it was holes 13 through 15 on the back nine that caused the Trojans trouble. Troy played the back nine first on Tuesday and eased through those holes at two-over par, a nine-shot improvement over the opening day.

Trouble flared up, however, when the Trojans made the turn to the front nine of “The Fighting Joe” course at the Robert Trent Jones Shoals facility. The first three holes on the front includes a 611-yard par five opening hole that has played into the wind both days, and a pair of long par fours on which there have been tricky cross winds.

Troy managed to get through that stretch on Monday at six-over par, but lost five additional strokes during that stretch of holes on Tuesday.

“We got off to a good start on holes 10 through 18, especially some holes we struggled on Monday with, but we had another lull in the middle of our round,” Trojans coach Matt Terry said. “Holes 1-2-3-4, which was our 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th holes, we played pretty poorly.

“It is disappointing because the guys had some fire after making some birdies. They were making things happen, but they just started making mistakes.”

The area where Terry said the team really failed to take advantage was the four par fives. The Trojans played those holes at a collective four-over par on Tuesday while the field played those holes at a collective 2.5 under par.

“We played the par fives very poorly and didn't make birdies when we had chances. No. 7 is a hole where you have to hit the fairway in order to go after the green in two and we didn't do that.”

Troy's 301 in the second round dropped the team into ninth place overall in the tournament. The Trojans were the only team on Tuesday to post a score of more than 300. ULM had the best team round of the day with a 286 to move into a tie for second place with North Texas, four shots behind tournament leading Denver. The Pioneers followed up their best round of the year on Monday (284) with a 289 in the second round.

Individually, there were seven players who posted scores in the 60s during the second round, including four – Carlos Ortiz of North Texas, James Searson of ULM, Jason Millard of MTSU and Jack Hiluta of South Alabama – who had four-under par scores of 68 in the second round.

Ortiz leads the individual tournament with a two-day score of seven-under par 137. Nick Wilson of ULM is one-shot back in second with Searson, Lloyd du Preez of Arkansas State and Millard tied for third, four shots off the lead.

Troy senior Zach Portemont followed his opening round 72 with a two-over 74 in the second round and is tied for 14th with a 146 total.

Junior Ricky Casko is tied for 29th overall after a second round score of 75. Senior Chase Whitehead posted a two-over par 74 on Tuesday and is tied for 34th. Freshman Nathan Kinch, despite birdies on the final two holes on Tuesday, finished with a 79 and is tied for 43rd overall. Senior Reid Merritt had a 78 on Tuesday and is tied for 52nd.

“I am hoping for the entire team that they get another chance to play tomorrow,” Terry said. “It (the weather) is looking pretty bleak, but I hope to see these guys get one more round in order to finish their year off with some positives.”

Kinch said the going was tough on Tuesday because of the winds.

“It was tough out there today with the wind gusting at more than 30 miles per hour,” Kinch said. “I got a little out of rhythm after hitting the ball well on the range. I just struggled with the wind, trying to hit too many different shots instead of just keeping things simple.”

The Australian said he was glad that he finished strong because that gives him some momentum going into the final round.

“On 16, I had a really good pitch from just short of the green and then missed a two-footer for birdie,” Kinch said. “On 17, I hit a 12-footer for birdie and then I chipped in from the hazzard on 18, so it was a good way to finish. It was a tough day, but a good way to finish, and that should keep me in a positive frame of mind if we get to play tomorrow.”