HOT SPRINGS -- Thanks to a solid final three holes, BYU's men's golf team is in third place after the second round of the NCAA Division I Golf Championships in Hot Springs, Va.
After a slow start, the Cougars finished with a bang. On the last three holes, BYU combined for eight birdies and no bogies to move from 17-over to 10-over on the day. This late surge lifted the Cougars from 14th to third place in the team standings.
"I think we came out a little tight and got off to a sloppy start," BYU head coach Bruce Brockbank said. "But boy, they really played clutch golf down the stretch. Those last few holes were sure fun to watch. I'm just really excited for these guys."
The Cougars are only two shots behind first-place California (+8) and one shot back of second-place Kentucky (+9). Washington (+11) and Pepperdine (+11) round out the top five followed by Georgia State (+12), UCLA (+12), TCU (+13) and Arizona (+13). Thirteen teams are jam packed at the top of the leaderboard with only seven strokes separating first and 13th place
Three Cougars are tied for 23rd place individually at two-over-par. Junior Todd Miller, who birdied three out of his last five holes, finished three-over 73 in the second round. All-MWC first-team selections Oscar Alvarez and Jake Ellison both had two birdies coming in to finish two-over par 72.
"We started a little shaky, but I think we all felt we were going to come back," team captain Miller said. "Even though I was six over (after 13 holes), I kept feeling like I was going to get it back, and it happened."
Junior Ron Harvey Jr. continued to make a significant contribution as he went three-over on the day. Harvey is tied for 43rd place at four-over-par while fellow Canadian Greg Machtaler is in a tie for 100th after going five-over in the second round.
BYU's quest for its second men's golf national championship continues during Thursday's third round, which begins at 7 a.m. EST. BYU will tee off in the first group on hole No. 1 along with California and Kentucky. After the third round only the top 15 teams will advance to Friday's final round. Live stats are available on the internet at www.golfstat.com.
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM LEADERBOARD
1. California (+8) 279-289--568
2. Kentucky (+9) 283-286--569
3. BYU (+10) 280-290--570
T4. Washington (+11) 289-282--571
T4. Pepperdine (+11) 295-276--571
T6. Georgia State (+12) 292-280--572
T6. UCLA (+12) 289-283--572
T8. TCU (+13) 281-292--573
T8. Arizona (+13) 292-281--573
T10. Florida (+14) 285-289--574
T10. Texas (+14) 288-286--574
T10. Georgia Tech (+14) 289-285--574
13. Clemson (+15) 285-290--575
14. Purdue (+17) 292-285--577
15. Penn State (+20) 289-291--580
T16. Auburn (+21) 283-298--581
T16. Oklahoma (+21) 286-295--581
T16. Okahoma State (+21) 292-289--581
T19. Kent State (+22) 294-288--582
T19. New Mexico (+22) 291-291--582
T19. USC (+22) 284-298--582
22. Texas A&M (+23) 291-292--583
T23. SMU (+25) 297-288--585
T23. North Carolina (+25) 294-291--585
25. Toledo (+26) 294-292--586
26. Georgia (+27) 285-302--587
27. Arizona State (+36) 292-304--596
28. Vanderbilt (+37) 294-303--597
29. Wichita State (+42) 298-304--602
30. Rhode Island (+50) 299-311--610
BYU INDIVIDUAL SCORES
T23 Todd Miller 69-73-142 +2
T23 Osar Alvarez 70-72--142 +2
T23 Jake Ellison 70-72--142 +2
T43 Ron Harvey Jr. 71-73--144 +4
T100 Greg Machtaler 74-75--149 +9