The second round of the NCAA Chapel Hill Men’s Golf Regional saw an impressive turn of events as East Tennessee State shot 15-under 265 as a team, propelling them into the lead. The round took place at the UNC’s Finley Golf Club.
In light of forecasted inclement weather, the commencement of the second round was rescheduled from Tuesday to Monday afternoon. Consequently, the round commenced at 2 p.m. and was halted at 8:15 p.m. due to darkness, with four teams, including all 10 individuals, having holes left to play to complete the round. The continuation of the round is slated for Tuesday at 7:30 a.m., with the third round not set to begin any earlier than 9:30 a.m.
With a score of 21-under 539, the ETSU team surged ahead by three strokes over Clemson, and by eight strokes over North Carolina, which currently holds third place with a score of -13. Rounding off the top 5 are Baylor in fourth place at 11-under and Georgia Tech and Long Beach State tied for fifth place at 10-under.
Alabama, Ball State, Loyola Marymount, Michigan State, VCU, Northwestern, and Howard complete the standings in the regional. The top five teams and the lowest-scoring individual not on one of those teams will have the opportunity to compete in the 2024 NCAA Championship from May 24-29 in Carlsbad, Calif.
The individual leader, Calahan Keever from Clemson, sits at 10-under 130 after rounds of 65-65. Austin Greaser from North Carolina and Johnny Keefer from Baylor are tied for second at 9-under 131.
Players from the University of North Carolina made an impressive debut in the competition, scoring a 9-under 271 and taking a two-shot lead after the first round. The UNC team is led by player Austin Greaser, who scored a 4-under 66 in the competition.
The NCAA regional signifies the inaugural competitive action at the newly-renovated Finley Golf Club. Throughout the competition, numerous players delivered standout performances, with Ball State’s Braxton Kuntz establishing a new course record in round one with an 8-under-par 62.
The competition remains fierce, with outstanding rounds of golf from various teams and individuals. As the competition unfolds, it will be captivating to witness which players and teams will secure a berth in the NCAA Championship.