Story courtesy of Kent State Sports Information
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. ? After a second round 297 this afternoon, the Kent State men’s golf team finds itself nine strokes off the lead at the NCAA Championship. Led today by a one-under 71 from freshman John Hahn (Hudson, Ohio / Hudson), the Golden Flashes were nine-over on the day and sit nine stokes ahead of the 15 team, 54-hole cutline.
“I’m proud of the way our guys hung in there today after a shaky start,” said Head Coach Herb Page, “We started to make a few birdies and were right there until the last couple of holes. We’re still in a very good position, we’re just taking it day by day, so we’ll see what tomorrow brings.”
After yesterday’s 11-over 83, Hahn gained 56 spots on the field with his 15th round of par or better this season. With a double-bogey on hole No. 1, Hahn appeared to be in for another difficult round, but the MAC Golfer of the Year refocused and turned in KSU’s lowest round of the day.
“I hit a few more fairways and the speed of my putter was better than yesterday,” said Hahn, “After that double-bogey on No. 1 I started to think about yesterday, but I remained patient and put it behind me.”
Hahn, who followed hole No. 1 with six straight pars would finish off the day without another bogey making 14 pars and matching a team best three birdies.
Senior David Markle (Shelbourne, Ontario / Centre Dufferin), also carded three birdies on the afternoon, but shot five-over on the last five holes to finish with a four-over 76. Markle was cruising through the middle part of his round posting three birdies and six pars on holes 5-13, but still finished the day tied for 10th overall at two-over 146 (70-76), seven strokes back of the leader.
Lowering his day one score by three strokes was freshman Brett Cairns (Courtland, Ontario) who recorded par on seven of the first nine holes before posting his first birdie of the round on the par five 607-yard 10th. After taking bogey on No. 11 and 12, he made another birdie on 14, dropping him to two-over on the day. Bogey’s on 17 and 18 would end the round at four-over 76, putting him tied for 63rd at nine-over 153 (78-75).
Sophomore David Ludlow (Burton, Ohio / Berkshire), improved his score by three strokes from yesterday posting a three-over 75 this afternoon. Ludlow began the day with a bogey on No. 1, but pulled back to even par with his only birdie of the day on the 534-yard par five fourth hole. The first team All-MAC selection would make the turn at two-over before playing steady with eight pars, including seven in a row, on the back nine. He gained seven spots on the field and along with Cairns will start Friday’s third round at nine-over 153 (78-75).
Despite making 13 pars on the day, senior Tom Ballinger (Mansfield, Ohio / Mansfield), finished his round with an eight over 80. He started out solid with pars on seven of the first eight holes before hitting a rough stretch starting on hole No. 9. Ballinger played the next three holes at six-over dropping him to seven-over after 11 holes. The four-year senior would regroup, posting a string of five consecutive pars before posting a final bogey on 17. After two round he sits tied for 85th with an 11-over 155 (75-80).
Clemson shot an even par 288 to gain a one stroke advantage over round one co-leader UCLA. Kent State is one stroke back of 207 NCAA Champion Stanford.
Billy Horschel (139) had a field best five-under 67 today to move into the individual lead by a stroke over Kyle Stanley (140) of Clemson
The the third round of play continues tomorrow.
Kent State Par Rd1 Rd2 total
T 10 David Markle +2 70 76 146
T 63 David Ludlow +9 78 75 153
T 63 Brett Cairns +9 78 75 153
T 70 John Hahn +10 83 71 154
T 85 Tom Ballinger +11 75 80 155
rank team Par Rd1 Rd2 total
1 10 Clemson +13 301 288 589
2 5 UCLA +14 297 293 590
3 1 USC +15 297 294 591
4 7 Florida +17 302 291 593
5 4 Oklahoma State +18 298 296 594
6 Washington +19 305 290 595
7 3 Georgia +20 303 293 596
8 8 Stanford +21 309 288 597
9 27 Kent State +13 301 297 598
10 6 Charlotte +25 306 295 601
11 Middle Tenn. St +26 309 293 602
12 19 Texas A&M +27 309 294 603
T-13 22 Arizona State +28 311 293 604
T-13 36 Illinois +28 302 302 604
15 2 Alabama +30 309 297 606
16 26 Louisville +31 311 296 607
T-17 17 UAB +32 311 297 608
18 14 Auburn +18 306 304 610
T-19 16 East Tenn. State +37 313 300 613
T-19 33 Penn State +37 315 298 613
T-19 23 San Diego State +37 310 303 613
22 34 UC Irvine +41 320 297 617
23 12 Wake Forest +42 314 304 618
T-24 Virginia +43 312 307 619
T-24 29 Oregon +43 315 304 619
26 38 Texas +44 311 309 620
T-27 31 Mississippi State +47 326 297 623
T-27 20 Indiana +47 313 310 623
29 40 Augusta State +58 326 308 634
30 Saint Mary’s +66 333 309 642