News release from Texas A&M Athletics:
PALM CITY, Fla. – The No. 23 Texas A&M men’s golf team finished the first day of the Valspar Collegiate Invitational in seventh place after Monday’s two rounds at Floridian National Golf Club.
After two loops around the par-71, 7,088-yard course, the Maroon & White own a 9-under 559 score. The Aggies sit two strokes behind the fifth-place duo of No. 14 Florida State (-11) and No. 17 Duke (-11). They trail fourth-place No. 1 Auburn (-12) by three strokes and third-place No. 7 Oklahoma (-13) by four. No. 2 Texas leads the field at 25-under 543, followed by No. 3 Arizona State (-19).
Texas A&M was in third place after the first round, firing a 9-under 275, and the Aggies sat just four strokes off the pace. They followed it with an even 284 in the afternoon circuit.
Freshman Wheaton Ennis leads the Aggies in a logjam for 10th place at 5-under 137. He eagled twice in a three-hole stretch which included his final of the first round, the par-5, 529-yard No. 13 and his second hole of the second round, the par-5, 539-yard No. 15. He also added seven birdies on the day, stacking rounds of 69 and 68.
Phichaksn Maichon is next on the leaderboard in a tie for 16th place at 4-under 138. He logged one eagle and six birdies, three in each of the rounds, en route to an opening 68 and a 70 to close the day.
Michael Heidelbaugh is tied for 21st at 3-under 139. He penciled in rounds of 68 and 71 with four birdies in the first loop and six in the second.
The Texas A&M fivesome is rounded out by Aaron Pounds in 66th place at 6-over 148 and Jaime Montojo one stroke back in 72nd place.
A pair of Aggies are playing as individuals. Vishnu Sadagopan registered rounds of 70 and 73 to sit in a tie for 43rd place at 1-over 143. Sosa is in 66th place at 6-over 148 with rounds of 80 and 68.
Tuesday’s action starts with a 7 a.m. shotgun start. Ol’ Sarge’s charges will spend the day grouped with paired with Florida State, Duke and No. 19 Vanderbilt.
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TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Head Coach Brian Kortan
On the first round…
“The guys did a good job. The first round was solid. We posted a good score and it got us in the mix. We did a lot of things really well. It was nice to have some guys under par the whole first round. That’s what it takes in these events playing this kind of field.”
On the second round…
“The wind kicked up this afternoon and it was a long day. But scores are still out there. They’re ready to fight. They’re battlers. The second round was pretty strong until the end. We were right there to shoot four- or five-under par. We just didn’t quite finish it off with the last couple holes. We need to hang in there a little longer on those long days. The guys know it and they’re disappointed, but they’ll come back ready to fight tomorrow.”
On using Tuesday’s round as a preview of SEC and Regional action when you’re jockeying the final round to get above cutoff…
“We talked about wanting to finish off these tournaments and be in the fight. It’s a big thing. It just doesn’t happen. You got to be there in position and then you have to step up to the challenge. Like I’ve said before, you’ve got to execute when the lights are brightest and the final rounds of golf tournaments is when you need to be really intentional with what you’re doing and feel really confident how you’re going to execute.”
TEAM STANDINGS
|
1 |
Texas |
-25 |
271-272 = 543 |
|
2 |
Arizona State |
-19 |
278-273 = 551 |
|
3 |
Oklahoma |
-13 |
282-273 = 555 |
|
4 |
Auburn |
-12 |
281-275 = 556 |
|
t-5 |
Duke |
-11 |
280-277 = 557 |
|
t-5 |
Florida State |
-11 |
276-281 = 557 |
|
7 |
Texas A&M |
-9 |
275-284 = 559 |
|
8 |
Vanderbilt |
-8 |
274-286 = 560 |
|
9 |
North Carolina |
-6 |
284-278 = 562 |
|
10 |
Tennessee |
-4 |
285-279 = 564 |
|
11 |
Arkansas |
-2 |
280-286 = 566 |
|
12 |
South Florida |
-1 |
278-289 = 567 |
|
13 |
Houston |
+1 |
285-284 = 569 |
|
14 |
Texas Tech |
+3 |
292-279 = 571 |
|
15 |
Wake Forest |
+7 |
285-290 = 575 |
|
16 |
Augusta |
+13 |
292-289 = 581 |
|
17 |
Ohio State |
+16 |
295-290 = 585 |
TEXAS A&M SCORES
|
t-10 |
Wheaton Ennis |
-5 |
69-68 = 137 |
|
t-16 |
Phichaksn Maichon |
-4 |
68-70 = 138 |
|
t-21 |
Michael Heidelbaugh |
-3 |
68-71 = 139 |
|
t-66 |
Aaron Pounds |
+6 |
70-78 = 148 |
|
t-72 |
Jaime Montojo |
+7 |
74-75 = 149 |
|
|
INDIVIDUALS |
|
|
|
t-43 |
Vishnu Sadagopan |
+1 |
70-73 = 143 |
|
t-66 |
Jacob Sosa |
+6 |
80-68 = 148 |