Letien Within Striking Distance Through Two Rounds of Play at NCAA South/Southeast Regional
DELAND, Fla. – The 22nd-ranked University of South Carolina Aiken golf team concluded the second round of play at the 2011 NCAA Division II South/Southeast Regional at the par 72, 7,072-yard Victoria Hills Golf Club in 11th place.
The Pacers improved by one stroke as a team in the second round of action to move up from 12th after day one to 11th. USC Aiken opened with a 298 on Monday, but its 297 in the second round left the Pacers in sole possession of 11th place at 19-over 595.
USC Aiken is just 16 strokes off leader Barry. The fifth-ranked Buccaneers have a two-round cumulative team tally of 579 (294-285). Third-ranked Lynn is in second overall after two rounds at 581 (288-293). Barton is third at 583 (294-289).
Pacer freshman Hayden Letien (Sumter, S.C./Sumter) moved up from eighth to a tie for seventh in the second round with a 1-over 73. Letien's two-round score of even 144 (71-73) ties him with two others, but more importantly has him just three strokes off the individual lead, which is currently held by Lynn's Ricardo Gouveia.
Gouveia opened with a 67 in the first round, but a 74 in round two leaves him with a two-round score of 141. Three players are currently tied for second at 142 in Barton's Daniel Claytor and Michael Marshburn and Lynn's Jose Joia.
Matt Atkins (Owensboro, Ky. /Henderson State) is the only other Pacer currently in the top 50 individually. Atkins' two straight 75s have him tied for 47th at 150. Atkins posted a team round-best three birdies in the second round.
The third and final round of the 2011 NCAA Division II South/Southeast Regional will begin at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 4. The first Pacer is scheduled to tee off at noon. All the action will be able to be followed live on USC Aiken's official athletic website at www.PacerSports.com.
USC Aiken is vying to make its 16th appearance in the NCAA Championship Tournament in the regional. The top five teams and the top two student-athletes not with a team from each regional (regardless of region) will advance to the finals May 16-20, at The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at The Shoals in Florence, Ala. The finals will be hosted by the University of North Alabama.
11th USC Aiken 298 297 595
T7 Hayden Letien 71 73 144
T47 Matt Atkins 75 75 150
T63 Gaines Milliner 78 74 152
T82 Mark Dickson 74 81 155
T91 Kyle Godsman 81 74 156
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