East Carolina University
Palmetto Intercollegiate
ECU In Seventh At Palmetto Intercollegiate
March 09, 2010 | Men's Golf
March 9, 2010
AIKEN, S.C. - East Carolina sophomore Harold Varner carded a one-under par 139 (74-65) to finish the first two rounds of the 13th Annual Cleveland Gold Palmetto Intercollegiate tied for fourth-place. The Pirates completed the first 36 holes of the event with a team score of 580 (295-285) in seventh-place, 18 strokes behind frontrunner Chattanooga.
Chattanooga finished the first two rounds at the historic par 70, 6,565-yard Palmetto Golf Club with a team score of 562 to enter Tuesday's final round with the team lead. Chattanooga followed up a first round 285 by carding a second round score of 277 to finish the first two rounds of the tournament four strokes ahead of second-place Liberty. The Flames, who concluded the 2009 Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate in second place, finished the opening day with a 566 (283-283). Furman is in third currently with a 569 (281-288).
Virgnia's Ben Kohles is the overall individual leader through two rounds with a seven-under-par 133. Kohles posted an even-par 70 in the first round before firing a Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate record 63 in the second round. Kohles' 63 bested Virginia Tech's Johnson Wagner's 64 that he secured in a single round in the 2002 Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate. The 63 also tiesa Virginia single-round scoring record.
Kohles is three strokes ahead of second place Max McKay of Liberty. McKay currently owns a two-round tally of three-under-par 136 (71-65). Chattanooga's Stephan Jaeger is in third at 138 (69-69).
East Carolina's David Watkins had the best shot of the first round, collecting a hole-in-one on the par 3 212-yard 16th hole. Watkins' eagle helped lead him to a 69 in the opening round. He was one of five to post an opening-round low round score of one-under-par 69. Watkins did not fair as well in the second round, shooting nine-over par to fall back into a tie for 37th at eight-over (69-79=148).
Junior Warren Straub remained in contention by shooting one-over in round two after posting a score of two-over on the first 18 holes of competition. Straub completed the first day of play tied for 16th (72-71=143).
The third and final round of the 54-hole 13th Annual Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate will begin at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, March 9.
