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Men's Golf Shows Improvement in the Second Round of the NCAA Championship
May 25, 2019 | Men's Golf
The Cardinals improved by 11 shots on Saturday, but are in 28th place.
While the University of Louisville's men's golf team isn't where it hoped it would be, it showed a little toughness on Saturday with a 14-over-par 302 to sit in 28th place after two rounds of the 2019 Men's Golf Championship at the Blessings Golf Club in Fayetteville, Ark.
After shooting a 25-over-par 313 on Friday, the Cardinals improved by 11 shots for the round, but did fall one spot in the overall standings. The Cardinals are 14 shots off the No. 15 spot needed to be able to advance to the fourth round on Monday.
"We still didn't play the way you needed to play," head coach Mark Crabtree said. "We definitely improved or scores from the day before, but we're still not putting the ball where we need to put it on this extremely difficult golf course."
The teams will play their third round on Sunday, with the Cardinals being paired with Duke and set to tee off at 1:50 p.m. CT (2:50 p.m. ET) in the final pairing of the day. Following Sunday's third round, the field is cut to the low 15 teams for Monday's final round of stroke play.
Top-seeded Oklahoma State leads the tournament at 10-under-par after shooting 12-under on Saturday. . The Cowboys own a 12-shot lead over second place Stanford on the par-72, 7,550-yard course that is hosting the NCAA Championship for the first time.
Not many players have put positive scores up on the arduous golf course through two rounds, but junior John Murphy did on Saturday, firing a 1-under-par 71 to move into a tie for 77th place. He stands at 8-over-par after two rounds of the championship.
Shooting a 2-over-par on the first nine holes, Murphy carded a 3-under-par on the front nine. He opened with birdies on No. 2, No. 3, and No. 5, while not recording a single bogey over the final nine holes.
"I hit the ball very well," Murphy said. "I hit the ball where I wanted to today. I felt like I had a good score on this very difficult golf course. I want to come out in that final round tomorrow and do a lot of the same things that allowed me to have success today."
Crabtree was also thrilled to see his talented junior attack the golf course and put together a good score.
"The scores were better today, but anytime you shoot under par on this golf course you have played really well," Crabtree said. "Compliments to John and putting together a nice comeback. I hope he can carry it over to tomorrow and be a great way to end the season."
After shooting a career low 82 on Friday, odds were high that sophomore Matthias Schmid would bounce back and put up a better score, which is exactly what the nation's top 25 player did on Saturday. The Maxhvette, Germany native responded with a 4-over-par and is 14-over-par after 36 holes of the championship.
The school's single-season stroke average leader birdied No. 11 and No. 15 to shoot 2-over-par on the back nine of the course and followed it up with a 2-over-par on the front.
Schmid is tied for 128th after two rounds of play.
Jiri Zuska, who was even after the first round, shot a 5-over-par 77 on Saturday to sit in a tie for 48th after his two rounds of action, while Devin Morley carded a 6-over 78 and is 12-over-par for the championship.
Trevor Johnson rounded out the top five with an 85.
"I want the kids to come out tomorrow with a great attitude and understand what they are trying to do," Crabtree said. "I want them to go out and put together a good round and see what that does."
Live scoring throughout the NCAA Championship is available at golfstat.com, while GOLF Channel's live coverage begins Monday in Fayetteville.
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After shooting a 25-over-par 313 on Friday, the Cardinals improved by 11 shots for the round, but did fall one spot in the overall standings. The Cardinals are 14 shots off the No. 15 spot needed to be able to advance to the fourth round on Monday.
"We still didn't play the way you needed to play," head coach Mark Crabtree said. "We definitely improved or scores from the day before, but we're still not putting the ball where we need to put it on this extremely difficult golf course."
The teams will play their third round on Sunday, with the Cardinals being paired with Duke and set to tee off at 1:50 p.m. CT (2:50 p.m. ET) in the final pairing of the day. Following Sunday's third round, the field is cut to the low 15 teams for Monday's final round of stroke play.
Top-seeded Oklahoma State leads the tournament at 10-under-par after shooting 12-under on Saturday. . The Cowboys own a 12-shot lead over second place Stanford on the par-72, 7,550-yard course that is hosting the NCAA Championship for the first time.
Not many players have put positive scores up on the arduous golf course through two rounds, but junior John Murphy did on Saturday, firing a 1-under-par 71 to move into a tie for 77th place. He stands at 8-over-par after two rounds of the championship.
Shooting a 2-over-par on the first nine holes, Murphy carded a 3-under-par on the front nine. He opened with birdies on No. 2, No. 3, and No. 5, while not recording a single bogey over the final nine holes.
"I hit the ball very well," Murphy said. "I hit the ball where I wanted to today. I felt like I had a good score on this very difficult golf course. I want to come out in that final round tomorrow and do a lot of the same things that allowed me to have success today."
Crabtree was also thrilled to see his talented junior attack the golf course and put together a good score.
"The scores were better today, but anytime you shoot under par on this golf course you have played really well," Crabtree said. "Compliments to John and putting together a nice comeback. I hope he can carry it over to tomorrow and be a great way to end the season."
After shooting a career low 82 on Friday, odds were high that sophomore Matthias Schmid would bounce back and put up a better score, which is exactly what the nation's top 25 player did on Saturday. The Maxhvette, Germany native responded with a 4-over-par and is 14-over-par after 36 holes of the championship.
The school's single-season stroke average leader birdied No. 11 and No. 15 to shoot 2-over-par on the back nine of the course and followed it up with a 2-over-par on the front.
Schmid is tied for 128th after two rounds of play.
Jiri Zuska, who was even after the first round, shot a 5-over-par 77 on Saturday to sit in a tie for 48th after his two rounds of action, while Devin Morley carded a 6-over 78 and is 12-over-par for the championship.
Trevor Johnson rounded out the top five with an 85.
"I want the kids to come out tomorrow with a great attitude and understand what they are trying to do," Crabtree said. "I want them to go out and put together a good round and see what that does."
Live scoring throughout the NCAA Championship is available at golfstat.com, while GOLF Channel's live coverage begins Monday in Fayetteville.
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