May 15, 2009

NCAA REGIONALS DAY TWO RESULTS

PHOTO GALLERY

AUSTIN, Tx. - What a difference a day made for the UTA golf team at the NCAA Regionals at The University of Texas Golf Club in Austin.

After shooting a disappointing score of 24-over par in Thursday's first round, the Mavericks stormed back with a six-over score of 290 Friday to put themselves back in the hunt for one of five spots in the NCAA Finals at the end of May.

UTA's score tied for the fourth best of the day on the wind-blown course that was not going to give up any low scores. The host Longhorns had the best round with a one-over score of 285 and that was followed by Florida's three-over and UNLV's five-over totals. UTA's score was tied by California, with whom the Mavericks played with Friday.

"Our goal today was to have one of the five best rounds and we did that," UTA head coach Jay Rees said. "We still have a job to do tomorrow but at least now we have a chance."

A lot of the credit for that chance can go to sophomore Michael Van deVenter. The South African native had to withdraw from the first round after becoming ill and letting the coaching staff know he had a leg injury.

There was some doubt that he was not going to be able to play Friday which would have left the Mavericks with just four players, but through the miracles of some ibuprofen, Van deVenter was able to lead his team with an even par round of 71.

"I can't say enough about Michael's performance today," Rees said. "He really helped his team out today with one of the best rounds of the day."

There were just five rounds better than Van deVenter's 71 as he tied with many others for the sixth best round of the day.

"I was just trying to play conservately," Van deVenter said. "I don't think I have taken that much ibufprofen in my entire life to be able to play. But when I got out there I just tried to stick to my game plan of just hitting fairways and greens and that is what happened."

He had just one birdie that was offset by a bogey and all of the rest of the holes he parred.

"My ball striking was really good today," he said. "I also made a lot more putts from closer range and that was the difference today."

Kevin Carrigan tied his teammate with an even par 71 and moved up 14 places on the leaderboard. He is now in a tie for 24th with a six-over score of 148. Zack Fischer who shot even par in round one, came back to the pack Friday and he shot a 77 and is tied with Carrigan and others at six-over.

"Carrigan birdied the last hole to shoot that 71," Rees said. "He played well yesterday and continued that again today."

Bryce Easton was five shots better Friday as he shot a three-over 74 and is in a tie for 45th at +11.

Bobby Massa, who has been battling flu-like symptoms all week, rebounded from an 81 Thursday to a three-over 74 Friday and moved up 10 places on the leaderboard.

"Bobby really competed today," Rees said. "He is still not feeling the best but to come out here to a difficult golf course and shoot 74 today was a real boost to the team."

Because Van deVenter had to withdraw from the tournament on Thursday, he is not eligible to win the individual title.

The Mavericks find themselves in ninth place heading into Saturday's final round and five shots behind fifth place Stanford. The top five teams from this regional will advance to the final tournament.

"We know the course will be tough tomorrow," Rees said. "But if we come out and do what we are capable of, who knows what can happen."

As for the entire tournament, the University of Texas fired a 1-over-par 285 on Friday to grab a two-stroke lead after the second round. The host Longhorns own a 36-hole total of 8-over-par 576 (291-285), two shots in front of first-round leader Texas Tech at 10-over-par 578 (282-296).

Texas junior Lance Lopez posted a 2-under-par 69 and holds a four-stroke cushion in the individual standings with a two-round total of 5-under-par 137 (68-69). The only other individual after the first 36 holes to break even par is UNLV junior Eddie Olson, who rests in second place at 1-under-par 141 (72-69). First-round co-leader Hugues Joannes of Lamar (68-74) and Travis Reid of New Mexico State (72-70) are tied for third place at even-par 142.

The Longhorns and Red Raiders were actually tied in the team standings entering their final hole of play on Friday. Lopez birdied the par-four 18th hole, while Texas Tech's Nils Floren made a bogey to account for the two-stroke swing.

Florida, the second seed at the Austin Regional, remained in third place at 12-over-par 580 (293-287). The Gators were paced on Friday by junior Tyson Alexander, who recorded the low individual round of the day at 3-under-par 68.

UNLV rests in fourth place at 17-over-par 585 (296-289), while Stanford, the top seed at the Austin Regional, is in fifth place after the first 36 holes at 25-over-par 593 (294-299). The low five teams and low individual not on those teams at the Austin Regional will advance to the NCAA Championships, scheduled for May 26-30 in Toledo, Ohio. Lamar leads a group of four other teams that are within five strokes of fifth-place Stanford entering Saturday's final round (Lamar +26, California +28, Michigan +28, Texas-Arlington +30).

Lopez, who began his round at hole 10, used birdies at 10, 12 and 18 en route to a 3-under-par 33 on the back nine. He then made the turn and moved to 4-under with a birdie on one. After a bogey on three and birdie on six to stay at 4-under, he made back-to-back bogeys on seven and eight to drop to 2-under before finishing his round with a birdie on the par-5 ninth hole.

Lopez got off to a rough start on the front nine, recording four bogeys against birdies at holes four and six. He regrouped on the back nine and posted birdies on 11, 12, 14 and 18 for his 2-under-par 69.

Alexander made bogey on three but that was his lone mistake of the day. He recorded birdies at holes nine, 11, 14 and 17 for his 3-under-par 68.

The individual highlight of the day belonged to Jackson State freshman Clay Myers, who aced the par-3 eighth hole that played 215 yards on Friday with a 4-iron.

Final-round play gets underway on Saturday, May 16 at 8:30 a.m.