Poston leads, Western Carolina fifth at Furman Intercollegiate
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Senior J.T. Poston carded a season-low round of 5-under-par 67 on Saturday to move to the top of the individual leaderboard at the 46th annual Furman Intercollegiate at the par-72, 6,994-yard Furman University Golf Course. Poston and junior Tyler Lail both finished with rounds under par on the second day as Western Carolina moved into fifth place overall as a team.
Poston carries a one-stroke lead into Sunday’s final round. Due to a projected frost in the area, the final 18 holes will commence at approximately 10:30 a.m. with a shotgun start. Paired with golfers from Temple and Francis Marion, WCU’s scoring five will open the final round between the fourth and sixth holes on Sunday.
Opening on the back nine, Poston was even through his first three holes before a bogey on the par-4 13th. The Hickory, N.C., native then played the remaining 14 holes at 6-under-par with six birdies, including four on the front nine alone to shoot 5-under 67.
Tyler Lail improved by five strokes in his second round on Saturday, carding a 2-under score of 70 to match his career-low round. The Conover, N.C., product is tied for 20th overall, charting three birdies, a bogey and 14 pars on Saturday.
Rounding out WCU’s scoring side are senior Matthew Turner in 57th at 151 with Jackson Bishop (155) tied for 86th and freshman Bright Julamool (159) in a tie for 101st. Turner had three birdies against four bogies and one double-bogey on Saturday, while trimmed three strokes off his opening round with a 4-over 76, countering six bogeys with a pair of birdies.
Georgia State carded a second-day team score of 280 to advance from a fourth-place tie to the top of the leader board, carrying a five-stroke advantage over second-place – and first day leader – USC Aiken. GSU posted rounds of 290 and 280 for a 36-hole score of 6-under-par 570, while USCA has a two-round score of 575 (284-291). Troy (578) is third, eight strokes off the lead, with Jacksonville (580) and WCU (582) rounding out the top five.
Chattanooga ninth at Furman Intercollegiate
GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Chattanooga Mocs men’s golf team is in ninth at the Furman Intercollegiate after another 295 (+7) on Furman Golf Course on Saturday. The squad is 14-over-par (590), four behind Virginia Tech and four ahead of Akron.
Wes Gosselin led the way with an even-par 72. He matched three birdies against three pars with 12 pars. He is 3-over for the tourney, one behind Liam Johnston and Andrew Weathers at +2. Johnston shot 74 (+2) Saturday, while Weathers carded a second straight 73. Kory Webb added 76 to the 295 total. Ewan Scott had the drop score with a 77. Zac Stolz came in with a 75, just ahead of Brooks Thomas’ 76, with the duo playing as individuals.
Georgia State (570) fired an 8-under-par 280 to take a five-shot lead over USC Aiken at 575. Troy is third at 578. Western Carolina’s J.T. Poston is the leader with an 8-under total of 136. He is one up on GSU’s J.J. Grey, whose 66 (-6) tied for the low round of the day.
A 10:30 a.m., shotgun start awaits the field. Chattanooga is paired with Akron and Furman opening on holes 7-10.
Furman tied for 11th at Furman Intercollegiate
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Sophomore Bryce Howell (-2) fired a 71 for the second consecutive day to move into sixth place to lead the Furman men’s golf team in the second day of the 46th Furman Intercollegiate at the par-72, 6,994-yard Furman University Golf Course. The Paladins (+20) remain tied with Davidson (+20) for 11th place entering Sunday’s final round.
Howell birdied two holes on the front and two on the back, finishing the round six strokes back of individual leader J.T. Poston of Western Carolina, who leads the field after shooting a 69 on Friday and adding a 67 on Saturday.
Junior Wehman Hopke (+2) birdied No. 11 and No. 15 to score a 76 on Saturday and enters Sunday’s final round tied for 27th place, while junior Preston Cole (+5), who scored back-to-back birdies on No. 10 and No. 11 and added an additional birdie on No. 15, is tied for 48th after scoring an even 72 on Saturday.
Freshman Adam Garrett (+15) birdied No. 10 and No. 18 to card a 77 in the second round to tie for 101st place, and junior Preston Heyward (+18) scored a 79 on Saturday to enter the final round in 108th place.
Redshirt freshman Alex Taylor (+1), the Paladins’ top individual after two rounds, is tied for 57th after birdieing No. 15 to record a 78 on Saturday. Senior Michael Borton (+11) recorded the Paladins’ best round among the individuals on Saturday, notching three birdies to card a 74.
The 54-hole tournament will conclude with a 10:30 a.m. shotgun start on Sunday.