Men's Golf In 14th After Two Rounds Of Mattaponi Springs
09/25/2006 | Men's Golf
Sept. 25, 2006
RUTHER GLEN, Va. - The Richmond men's golf team opened the 2006-07 season Monday with 36 holes at the Mattaponi Springs Collegiate Shootout, finishing the day 25-over-par and in 14th place.The Spiders were playing without two of the returnees who led the team to the NCAA Tournament last spring, but still put together some solid individual rounds.
Senior John Pelet played his first round of the season at 2-under-par 70 on the par-72, 6,911-yard course. Pelet made five birdies and 10 pars in the morning round and was tied for 10th. He would shoot a 78 in the afternoon and is tied for 40th at 4-over-par 148 entering Tuesday morning's final round.
Junior Jordan Utley is one stroke behind Pelet in a tie for 45th. He carded a 2-over 74 with three birdies in the morning round and a 3-over 75 in the afternoon. Freshman Hunter Townsend shot a 79 in his first collegiate round, but rebounded to shoot an even-par 72 with three birdies and 12 pars in the afternoon. Townsend enters the final round tied for 52nd with a 7-over 151.
"I'm happy to see Hunter Townsend have a good comeback in the afternoon and get his confidence up, and feet wet in first collegiate event," Richmond head coach Adam Decker said.
Junior Billy Hanes shot a 75 in the morning round and a 79 in the afternoon to put him in a tie for 68th with 154. Junior Lawrence Lessing is in 78th place with a 162.
Richmond sophomore Grant Rafield is playing the tournament as an individual and shot an even-par 72 in his first collegiate round. He carded a 79 in the second round and is tied for 52nd at 7-over-par 151.
Junior Chris Bagley and sophomore Tim Courtney, two of starters on last year's NCAA Tournament team, are not competing in the Mattaponi Springs Shootout. Bagley is injured and Courtney did not make it out of qualifying.
The third and final round takes place Tuesday morning. The Spiders beginning teeing off at 8:22 a.m.
"Hopefully we can take a step in the right direction tomorrow," Decker said. "We need to improve and take tomorrow's round into the next tournament."