Credit to Thomas Dugger Dick | Assistant Communications Director – 12thman.com
MOUNTAIN BROOK, Alabama – The No. 17 Texas A&M men’s golf team finished the first two rounds of the SEC Match Play hosted by Jerry Pate tied for fourth place.
The Aggies closed Monday’s action at 20-under 548 tied with Ole Miss 10 strokes off the pace. Auburn leads the fray at 30-under 538 followed by Arkansas (540) and Vanderbilt (545).
Phichaksn Maichon tamed the par-72, 7,226-yard Country Club of Birmingham West Course with a two-round tally of 9-under 133. He is tied with three golfers for third place, four strokes behind Vanderbilt’s Gordon Sargent for the lead.
Freshman Aaron Pounds was impressive in his first collegiate action, putting together two rounds of 2-under 69. He is tied for 21st place at 4-under 138. Jaime Monto is one stroke back in 24th place at 3-under 139. Michael Heidelbaugh checked in at 1-under 141 with Vishnu Sadagopan rounding out the fivesome at 1-over 143.
The Aggies were the leaders after the first round, carding a 14-under 270, two strokes clear of Arkansas. Maichon was tied for second place after the first round, firing six birdies, including four on the back nine, in a bogeyless round for a 6-under 65. Heidelbaugh fired a 4-under 67 featuring five birdies and an eagle on the back nine for a 29.
Texas A&M starts Tuesday’s round three action on hole No. 1 with Sadagopan teeing off at 8:30 a.m. followed by Heidelbaugh, Montojo, Pounds and Maichon in 10-minute increments.
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TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Head Coach Brian Kortan
On the first round…
“We played a really solid first round. We had good momentum and did a great job scoring the golf ball. There was no wind and the golf course was set up for some birdies to made. We did a heck of a job this morning doing that. Having the low round of the morning was really good. I was proud of the guys for that.”
On the second round…
“This afternoon we didn’t quite get any momentum going through the round. It was kind of make a birdie, make a bogey, make a birdie, make a bogey. In the end, they made a few more birdies finishing up to post a good score. Not a great score, but a good score. Sitting t-4th in this field is not exactly where we want to be, but we’re doing a good job.”
On Phichaksn Maichon’s performance…
“P can just strike it and put shots together as good as anybody in the country. He made a few putts this morning, but had a little harder time this morning getting those putts in. Overall he struck it well and took advantage of that. Nine under par through 36 holes is pretty good.”
On Aaron Pounds first two collegiate rounds…
“It was good to get Aaron on the road. He’s been waiting for this for a long time. It was good to have him on the road and put together some rounds together for us. Michael (Heidelbaugh) put a great round together this morning. He left some strokes out there this afternoon. Jaime also had a good round this morning. It was a good team effort. We have to make some more putts and keep pushing tomorrow. But I like what we’re doing and we’re doing a lot of things well. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.
TEAM SCORES
|
1 |
Auburn |
274-264=538 |
-30 |
|
|
2 |
Arkansas |
272-268=540 |
-28 |
|
|
3 |
Vanderbilt |
276-269=545 |
-23 |
|
|
t-4 |
Texas A&M |
270-278=548 |
-20 |
|
|
t-4 |
Ole Miss |
276-272=548 |
-20 |
|
|
6 |
Tennessee |
278-272=550 |
-18 |
|
|
t-7 |
Florida |
285-272=557 |
-11 |
|
|
t-7 |
Mississippi State |
275-282=557 |
-11 |
|
|
9 |
LSU |
280-282=562 |
-6 |
|
|
10 |
Alabama |
284-279=563 |
-5 |
|
|
11 |
Georgia |
280-286=566 |
-2 |
|
|
t-12 |
Kentucky |
282-286=568 |
E |
|
|
t-12 |
Missouri |
286-282=568 |
E |
|
|
14 |
South Carolina |
291-285=576 |
+8 |
|
TEXAS A&M SCORES
|
t-3 |
Phichaksn Maichon |
65-68=133 |
-9 |
|
|
t-21 |
Aaron Pounds |
69-69=138 |
-4 |
|
|
t-24 |
Jaime Montojo |
69-70=139 |
-3 |
|
|
t-31 |
Michael Heidelbaugh |
67-74=141 |
-1 |
|
|
t-44 |
Vishnu Sadagopan |
72-71=143 |
+1 |
|