Men's Golf Releases (2005-06) - Guilford Leading After Round Two of NCAA Championship - Guilford College

GUILFORD HOLDS LEAD HALFWAY THROUGH NCAA GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS

Lincoln, NE (5/9/06) -- Guilford College's men's golf team shot a 296 Tuesday and holds a two-stroke lead after the second of four rounds at the 23-team NCAA Division III Golf Championship. The Quakers held a four-shot lead after Monday's first round and lead hard-charging Redlands. The Bulldogs shot a tourney-low 286 Tuesday and climbed seven places into second. Host Nebraska Wesleyan shot 289 Tuesday at the familiar Firethorn Golf Club and sits three strokes off the pace. Oglethorpe's two-day 600 leaves the Stormy Petrels five strokes behind Guilford and one shot better than fifth-place Methodist (601).

Guilford is the defending national champion and ranked first in the May 4 Bridgestone/Golf Coaches Association of America Division III Poll. The Quakers are after their third national title in five years after winning the 2005 championship in Howey-In-The-Hills, FL, and the 2002 crown at Firethorn.

Starting from the 10th tees, four Guilford students fired three-over-par 74 Tuesday, including sophomore Steve Walton (West Chester, PA/Downingtown) (left). The Quakers' number-five player, Walton struggled with a first-round 80 in his NCAA Tournament debut, but made four birdies in the first 10 holes and matched his lowest round of the year. Senior Jeff Osberg (Chester Springs, PA/Owen J. Roberts) played even par on the back nine to card his second straight 74, which ranks eighth among the 120 individuals. Senior Chris Lowman (Siler City, NC/Jordan-Matthews) bettered his first-round score by a stroke and remains in 10th place individually. Lowman bogeyed the 13th, 17th and eighth holes, but parred the remaining 15 holes. Junior Joseph Poplin (Eden, NC/Morehead) climbed six spots into 15th place with a 74 that included birdies on 14 and 15. Junior Colin Clark (Durham, NC/Chapel Hill), the defending national champion, shot 77 and tumbled 17 places into 23rd with a two-day 151. After a triple-bogey six on the fourth hole, Clark settled to par his last five holes.

Oglethorpe's Danny Swanick has the individual lead with a one-over 143 after Tuesday's three-under 68. Redlands' Nick Obie carded a 67 Tuesday and moved into second place at 144. Huntingdon's Alex Balog shot the tournament's low round with a five-under 66 and sits third with 145.

The championship continues with Wednesday's third round and ends Thursday. Guilford tees off at 7:30 a.m. (CDT) with Redlands and Nebraska Wesleyan.

TEAM STANDINGS (after 2 of 4 rounds)

	School	Strokes	Par
1	Guilford	299-296-595	+27
2	Redlands	311-286-597	+29
3	Nebraska Wesleyan	309-289-598	+30
4	Oglethorpe	307-293-600	+32
5	Methodist	303-300-603	+35
6	Otterbein	308-300-608	+40
7	Skidmore	309-301-610	+42
8	Rhodes	308-304-612	+44
9	Texas Lutheran	312-301-613	+45
10	Ohio Wesleyan	312-304-616	+48
T11	Salem State	312-305-617	+49
T11	LaVerne	314-303-617	+49
13	Huntingdon	321-297-618	+50
14	Allegheny	322-297-619	+51
T15	New York	310-310-620	+52
T15	California Lutheran	320-300-620	+52
T17	Emory	312-309-621	+53
T17	St. John's (MN)	312-309-621	+53
19	Hope	319-304-623	+55
T20	Gustavus Adolphus	320-308-628	+60
T20	Washington & Jefferson	319-309-628	+60
22	Claremont McKenna	327-305-632	+64
23	St. John Fisher	323-318-641	+73

INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS

1	Danny Swanick	Oglethorpe	75-68-143	+1
2	Nick Obie	Redlands	77-67-144	+2
3	Alex Balog	Huntingdon	79-66-145	+3
T4	John Jennison	Rhodes	76-70-146	+4
T4	Andy Miller	Otterbein	73-73-146	+4
T4	Mike Stiller	Skidmore	73-73-146	+4

GUILFORD STUDENTS

T8	Jeff Osberg	74-74-148	+6
T10	Chris Lowman	75-74-149	+7
T15	Joseph Poplin	76-74-150	+8
T23	Colin Clark	74-77-151	+9
T43	Steve Walton	80-74-154	+12