OCU one off pace, UCO right on heels at Gaillardia
OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University held second place after two rounds of the Southern Plains Intercollegiate on Monday at Gaillardia Country Club.
The Stars, ranked third in NAIA men’s golf, trailed seventh-ranked Wayland Baptist (Texas) by one shot and stood one stroke ahead of Central Oklahoma, ranked 24th in NCAA Division II.
Oklahoma City individual Issa Abou el Ela enters the final round five shots behind tournament leader Leo Mathard of Texas Wesleyan. El Ela, a senior from Alexandria, Egypt, posted a third-place 70-72–142 on the par-72, 7,018-yard course.
OCU’s Rupert Kaminski and Anthony Marchesani were tied for fourth place. Kaminski, a freshman from Johannesburg, South Africa, compiled a 71-73–144, while Marchesani, a senior from Rosebud, Victoria, Australia, carded a 74-70–144.
Also playing as an individual, Garrison Mendoza, a junior from Clinton, Okla., had a 76-71–147 to tie for 10th.
The Stars’ Matthew Cheung, a junior from Brisbane, Australia, produced a 72-76–148, which was knotted for 14th. Jett Johnson, a senior from Norman, Okla., contributed a 71-79–150 to be tied for 20th, while Zac Oliver, a senior from Checotah, Okla., had an 80-78–158 for OCU.
Play started an hour later than scheduled Monday because of frost on the course. The temperature was 51 degrees with 9 mph wind. Temperatures climbed to a high of 69 degrees.
The tournament finishes with the third round 9 a.m. Tuesday.
Eli Armstrong was second in the individual standings and Central Oklahoma was third in the team race after first-day play.
Armstrong had consecutive under-par rounds of 71-70 for a 3-under 141 total and the Bronchos shot 292-294 for a 586, leaving them just two shots out of the lead.
Final-round play is set for 9 a.m. Tuesday.
Armstrong tied his low round of the fall season in Monday’s morning round with a 71 and then bettered it in the afternoon with the two-under 70. He’s four shots behind Texas Wesleyan’s Leo Mathard in the medalist race.
Cody Troutman is eighth in the standings with a 145 total after shooting 73-72, while the Bronchos also got rounds of 71-79 from Russ Purser, 79-73 from Wesley Jackson and 83-73 from Eric Kline. Gavin Mastell shot 77-82 and Alberto Nava 82-78 playing as individuals.