SEWANEE, Tenn. – Senior
Elias Becker carded rounds of 70-67 while
Aidan Tudor,
Colin Edwards and
Niel Phillips each shot one round of 71, helping Sewanee to first place as a team at the Gate City Invitational on Monday at Forest Oaks Country Club in Greensboro, N.C.
The Tigers take a two-shot lead over Carnegie Mellon into the third round with Washington and Lee as well as Oglethorpe University four strokes behind and Emory University five back. Oglethorpe posted a 27-shot difference (12-over to 15-under) between their first and second rounds Monday.
Becker stands seven-under par after 36 holes after posting a bogey-free five-under 67 in the second round Monday. He made only one bogey over the two rounds with eight birdies. He trails Washington and Lee's Jonathan McEwen by one stroke heading into Tuesday's final round. McEwen shot eight-under 64 in the first round and even in the second.
Becker started his rounds at hole No. 17, making 11 consecutive pars to begin the day. He birdied holes 11 and 12 before a bogey at No. 13 but ended the first round with a birdie at No. 16 for a two-under 70.
The Mexico City, Mexico, native shot three-under on the first 11 holes in the second round with birdies on holes 18, six and eight and eight pars. He added birdies on 11 and 14 to end the day with a five-under 67.
Tudor, a freshman, began his rounds on No. 18 and collected eight pars in the first 10 holes with a birdie at No. 1 and a bogey on seven. He opened the back nine with another birdie and added seven more pars for a one-under 71.
The New Market, Md., native bogeyed No. 18 to begin the second round but was even on the front nine with seven pars, a birdie at No. 3 and a bogey on nine. He notched another bogey at No. 10 but followed that with a birdie at 11 and six pars to finish the day with a second-round one-over 73 and a two-round total of 144, tied for 16th.
Senior
Colin Edwards also started on No. 17 with a par and recorded a birdie on 18. On the front nine he posted eight pars with a birdie at No. 6 and collected five more pars on the rest of the back nine. He made a birdie at No. 14 and his only hiccup of the round was a double bogey at hole 13, finishing at one-under 71 as well.
The Brookhaven, Ga., native netted two pars to open the second round but registered four bogeys and five pars on the front nine. He came back with birdies on holes 11 and 12 and another at 15, registering a second-round 73 and a 36-hole score of 144 as well.
Sophomore
Turner Chiles began the day with three straight pars on holes 16-18 before a bad five-hole stretch to start the front nine, recording three bogeys and two pars. He registered birdies on holes six and nine and added an eagle on the par-5 11
th hole, but he gave it right back with a double bogey at No. 12 and posted a first-round one-over 73.
The Houston, Texas, native bogeyed No. 16 but birdied 18 to start the second round. He recorded two bogeys and a birdie at No. 9 on the front nine but double bogeys on holes 10 and 12 gave him a five-over 77 in the second round and a two-round total of 150, tied for 52nd.
Sophomore
Niel Phillips got off to a rough start in the first round, netting a bogey at No. 18 and then six bogeys and three pars on the front nine. He eagled No. 11 but added a bogey at 12 and a double on 15 for an eight-over 80.
The New Orleans, La., native started slowly in the second round as well with a bogey at No. 18, a double on two and a bogey at No. 3, but he eagled the par-5 fourth hole and collected a birdie at No. 5 before a bogey on the sixth. He played the final 11 holes in three-under with one bogey and birdies on 11, 13, 14 and 16 for a one-under 71. Phillips registered a 36-hole score of 151, tied for 55th.
INDIVIDUAL SCORES
2.
Elias Becker – 70-67=137
t16.
Aidan Tudor – 71-73=144
t16.
Colin Edwards – 71-73=144
t52.
Turner Chiles – 73-77=150
t55.
Niel Phillips – 80-71=151
TEAM SCORES
1. Sewanee – 285-284=569
2. Carnegie Mellon – 283-288=571
t3. Washington and Lee – 285-288=573
t3. Oglethorpe University – 300-273=573
5. Emory University – 287-287=574
t6. Methodist University – 293-287=580
t6. Huntingdon College – 283-297=580
8. Transylvania University – 289-293=582
9. Kenyon College – 299-287=586
t10. Piedmont University – 287-300=587
t10. Berry College – 297-290=587
12. Guilford College – 294-296=590
13. Gettysburg College – 302-299=601
14. Averett University – 306-297=603
15. Greensboro College – 300-304=604
16. Hampden-Sydney – 302-304=606
17. University of Lynchburg – 307-306=613
18. Rhodes College – 311-313=624
