University of Richmond Athletics
Pearce Ties Freshman Record With 6-Under 66 Monday
09/11/2023 | Men's Golf
PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. — In just his second collegiate round, freshman Owen Pearce fired a 6-under 66 Monday in Round 2 of the Golfweek Fall Challenge at True Blue Golf Club. Pearce's round is tied for the fourth-lowest 18-hole score in program history and matches the lowest round ever for a freshman at UR.
Pearce birdied four of his final six holes to move up into a tie for seventh on the individual leaderboard with only Tuesday's final round remaining.
"I played very steady all day so it was easy to stay calm," said Pearce. "The nerves were much better after getting the first round out of the way."
Pearce's 6-under is only two strokes behind the program record for lowest round, set by Matthew Lowe in 2016 at Lonnie Poole Golf Course in Raleigh, N.C. The only other Spider freshmen to ever shoot 6-under par in a round are Lowe (2015 at Harmony Golf Preserve in Harmony, Fla.), Tim Courtney (2005 at Mid Pines Golf Club in Southern Pines, N.C.), and Zack Justice (2017 at Grand Cypress in Orlando, Fla.)
Pearce enters Tuesday's final round five shots behind 36-hole leader Thomas Schmidt of Arkansas State. Grad student Lou Baker is tied for 22nd at 4-under par (140) after shooting 69 (-3) Monday. Two other Spiders are under par: Cole Ekert at 3-under (tied for 30th) and Garrett Clark at 1-under (tied for 43rd). Playing as an individual, freshman Jack LaPiana is tied with Ekert at 3-under.
Pearce's round was instrumental to Richmond's team score of 9-under par (279) Monday, as the Spiders matched the seventh-lowest round in program history for a second straight day. At 18-under par (558), UR is sixth among 14 teams in the event. The Spiders will have a chance to reach the program record for team score in a tournament — currently 24 strokes under par — in Tuesday's final round.
Pearce birdied four of his final six holes to move up into a tie for seventh on the individual leaderboard with only Tuesday's final round remaining.
"I played very steady all day so it was easy to stay calm," said Pearce. "The nerves were much better after getting the first round out of the way."
Pearce's 6-under is only two strokes behind the program record for lowest round, set by Matthew Lowe in 2016 at Lonnie Poole Golf Course in Raleigh, N.C. The only other Spider freshmen to ever shoot 6-under par in a round are Lowe (2015 at Harmony Golf Preserve in Harmony, Fla.), Tim Courtney (2005 at Mid Pines Golf Club in Southern Pines, N.C.), and Zack Justice (2017 at Grand Cypress in Orlando, Fla.)
Pearce enters Tuesday's final round five shots behind 36-hole leader Thomas Schmidt of Arkansas State. Grad student Lou Baker is tied for 22nd at 4-under par (140) after shooting 69 (-3) Monday. Two other Spiders are under par: Cole Ekert at 3-under (tied for 30th) and Garrett Clark at 1-under (tied for 43rd). Playing as an individual, freshman Jack LaPiana is tied with Ekert at 3-under.
Pearce's round was instrumental to Richmond's team score of 9-under par (279) Monday, as the Spiders matched the seventh-lowest round in program history for a second straight day. At 18-under par (558), UR is sixth among 14 teams in the event. The Spiders will have a chance to reach the program record for team score in a tournament — currently 24 strokes under par — in Tuesday's final round.
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