Monday March 13, 2006

VCU LEADS FIELD AFTER DAY ONE OF PALMETTO INTERCOLLEGIATE
Blue Hose place 12^th after first day

AIKEN, S.C. -- Virginia Commonwealth fired a second round total of even-par 284 to sit atop the leaderboard at six-over-par after 36 holes of the Ninth Annual Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate on Monday. USC Aiken, hosts of the event, sits in fifth place, 10 shots back of the Rams. Presbyterian College shot a two-round score of 613 to place 12^th after the first day.

The University of Houston, defending co-champions along with the Pacers, are third at 13-over-par while Furman is fourth at 14-over-par.  

The 54-hole event is being contested at the 6,565-yard, par 71 Palmetto Golf Club in Aiken, S.C.  Founded in 1892, Palmetto is recognized as the fourth oldest golf course in the United States and holds the oldest membership certificate to the USGA still in existence. Tuesday’s final round will begin with fixed tee times starting at 8:00 AM.  

USC Aiken, the number one ranked team in Division II since the end of the 2004 season, carded an opening round of 291 to trail round one leader Houston by three shots. The two-time defending NCAA Division II National Champions fired a second round total of four-over-par 293 and are one of five teams within 11 strokes of the lead.  

A three-way tie in the individual race is highlighted by Houston’s Jordan Irwin.  The defending 2005 medalist carded rounds of 70 and 71 and is one-under-par. John Eades of Maryland and VCU’s Andrea Perrino are also one-under-par.

Presbyterian College sophomore Hugh Morrison (Macon, Ga.) is tied for 17^th after shooting a pair of 73’s on Monday. Freshman Rob Varner (Columbus, Ga.) is T-42^nd with a score of 152, followed by junior Patrick Townes (Summerville, S.C.) at T-54^th (156), junior Ben Karns (Gaffney, S.C.) is T-61^st (160), and freshman Andy Karns (Gaffney, S.C.) at 64^th (165).

Tuesday’s final round will begin at 8:00 AM. USC Aiken will tee off in the next to last groups of the day starting at 9:36 and continuing to 10:08 AM. The Pacers will be playing with East Carolina and Furman.  

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