FOREST OAKS, N.C. – Bill Rankin carded a tournament-record 64 in the second round of play on Monday to help the University of Michigan to a four-shot lead over rival Michigan State entering Tuesday’s final round at the UNCG Bridgestone Collegiate at Forest Oaks Country Club.
Michigan shot a 282 in the afternoon round, largely thanks to Rankin’s 32 on each side, to gain a four-shot lead over Michigan State and five-shot advantage over first-round leader Duke. The Wolverines sit at 575, followed by the Spartans’ 579 and Blue Devils at 580. Tournament host UNC Greensboro is sixth at 587 after rounds of 296 and 291.
Rankin, who shot a 75 in the morning round that feature brisk winds, an occasional shower and even a delay for sleet-covered greens, came back in the afternoon with nine birdies and a bogey. He had four birdies in his first nine of the second round, which was the back side of the course. Then he birdied Nos. 1 and 2 to go to six-under par for the round. A birdie on No. 5 got him to seven-under, but he bogeyed the par-4, 454-yard sixth hole to drop back to six-under. He closed out the day with birdies on Nos. 7 and 9. He had been tied for 28th after the morning round.
Rankin is tied with Michigan State’s Payne Griewek for the individual lead. Gniewek had a more consistent day on Monday than Rankin, carding rounds of 69 and 70 to sit at five-under par through 36 holes. They have a three-shot lead over the duo of Memphis’ Jordan Payne and Notre Dame’s Max Scodro.
UNCG’s Drew Younts is tied for 16th, seven shots off the pace. Younts, a junior from Stokesdale, NC came back to shoot a 70 in the afternoon after an opening round 76. Two-over par for the tournament, Younts got a big lift when he eagled the 357-yard, par-4 fifth hole in the second round.
Seven teams – Louisville, Mississippi State, Duke, Michigan State, Memphis, Michigan and Purdue – were participants in the NCAA Tournament last spring. Currently, Michigan is ranked No. 25 in the Golf World/Nike Coaches Poll with Duke close behind as the first team in the others receiving votes category. Michigan State, Pepperdine, Louisville, Mississippi State are also currently receiving votes in the Nike Poll. According to the Golfstat rankings (based on final place in tournaments), Pepperdine (28), Michigan State (34), Minnesota (35), Duke (37), Michigan (41), Louisville (42) and Mississippi State (45) are all ranked in the Top 50 currently. The top-ranked individuals playing in the tournament according to Golfstat include Pepperdine’s Andrew Putman (77th) and Louisville’s Adam Hadwin (93).
Louisville is the defending tournament champion and has won two of the three previous titles also having won in 2005. The Cardinals are currently fourth in the team standings, eight shots back.
Tuesday’s final round gets underway at 8:30 am with tee times off Nos. 1 and 10.
AGATE
TEAM SCORING
Michigan, U. of -293 -282 —575
Michigan State -293 -286 —579
Duke University -291 -289 —580
Louisville, U. of -299 -284 —583
Pepperdine -300 -285 —585
N. Car.- Greensboro -296 -291 —587
Memphis, U. of -303 -286 —589
Notre Dame, U. of -297 -292 —589
Maryland, U. of -299 -290 —589
Minnesota -297 -294 —591
Eastern Michigan U. -313 -280 —593
Mississippi St. U. -299 -305 —604
Toledo -310 -298 —608
South Alabama, U. of -312 -299 —611
INDIVIDUAL SCORING
Bill Rankin, Michigan, U. of - 75 - 64 — 139
Payne Gniewek, Michigan State - 69 - 70 — 139
Jordan Payne, Memphis, U. of - 72 - 70 — 142
Max Scodro, Notre Dame, U. of - 70 - 72 — 142
Spencer Anderson, Duke University - 72 - 71 — 143
Lion Kim, Michigan, U. of - 69 - 74 — 143
Alexander Sitompul, Michigan, U. of - 73 - 71 — 144
Andrew Putnam, Pepperdine - 75 - 69 — 144
Yu Katayama, Minnesota - 72 - 72 — 144
Adam Hadwin, Louisville, U. of - 75 - 69 — 144
Riley Wheeldon, Louisville, U. of - 74 - 71 — 145
Adam Long, Duke University - 73 - 72 — 145
Brandon Lemons, Eastern Michigan U. - 76 - 69 — 145
Josh Anderson, Pepperdine - 74 - 71 — 145
John Popeck, Maryland, U. of - 72 - 73 — 145
Connor Alan-Lee, Notre Dame, U. of - 72 - 74 — 146
Graham Baillargeon, Michigan State - 78 - 68 — 146
Brandon Bunn, Memphis, U. of - 75 - 71 — 146
Drew Younts, N. Car.- Greensboro - 76 - 70 — 146
Jack Newman, Michigan State - 69 - 77 — 146
Carlos Sainz, Mississippi St. U. - 70 - 76 — 146
David Heyen*, N. Car.- Greensboro - 74 - 73 — 147
Ben Pisani, Minnesota - 74 - 73 — 147
Shane Mason, Pepperdine - 77 - 70 — 147
Wes Roach, Duke University - 73 - 74 — 147
Marc-Ettienne Bussieres, South Alabama, U. of - 73 - 74 — 147
Donnie Shin, Maryland, U. of - 76 - 71 — 147
Connor Arendell, Louisville, U. of - 77 - 70 — 147
Andrew Kay, Maryland, U. of - 75 - 73 — 148
Jean-Hubert Trahan, Toledo - 73 - 75 — 148
Will Almand, N. Car.- Greensboro - 74 - 74 — 148
Christopher Ross, Eastern Michigan U. - 78 - 70 — 148
Will Bowman, N. Car.- Greensboro - 73 - 75 — 148
Ross Millman, Michigan, U. of - 76 - 73 — 149
Carl Smith IV, Pepperdine - 74 - 75 — 149
Marty Jeppesen, Eastern Michigan U. - 79 - 70 — 149
Karsten Clements, Louisville, U. of - 73 - 76 — 149
Darragh Coghlan, N. Car.- Greensboro - 73 - 76 — 149
Chris Gold, Maryland, U. of - 76 - 73 — 149
Kyle Sonday, N. Car.- Greensboro - 78 - 72 — 150
Matt Thompson*, Michigan, U. of - 78 - 72 — 150
Olavo Batista, Notre Dame, U. of - 76 - 74 — 150
Michael Quagliano, Duke University - 78 - 72 — 150
Clark Klaasen, Duke University - 73 - 77 — 150
Randy Hutchison, Michigan State - 77 - 74 — 151
Lewis Kirton, Louisville, U. of - 77 - 74 — 151
Nic Carbary, Eastern Michigan U. - 80 - 71 — 151
Derek Chang, Minnesota - 77 - 74 — 151
Jack Hiluta, South Alabama, U. of - 78 - 73 — 151
Stefan Erdedi, Memphis, U. of - 81 - 71 — 152
Brad Benjamin, Memphis, U. of - 76 - 76 — 152
Noah Goldman, Mississippi St. U. - 74 - 78 — 152
Nick Pumford, Michigan, U. of - 78 - 75 — 153
Daniel Burns, South Alabama, U. of - 79 - 74 — 153
Brian Mason, Mississippi St. U. - 77 - 76 — 153
Doug Fortner, Notre Dame, U. of - 82 - 72 — 154
Nathan Wine, Toledo - 77 - 77 — 154
Josh Bevell, Mississippi St. U. - 78 - 76 — 154
Jack Belote, Memphis, U. of - 80 - 74 — 154
Phil Snow, Michigan State - 80 - 74 — 154
Chris Miller*, Maryland, U. of - 80 - 74 — 154
Chris Walker, Notre Dame, U. of - 79 - 76 — 155
Jerel Whiting, Toledo - 80 - 75 — 155
Thomas Campbell, Minnesota - 74 - 81 — 155
Victor Almstrom, Minnesota - 80 - 75 — 155
Brad Larente, Eastern Michigan U. - 81 - 75 — 156
Logan Young, Mississippi St. U. - 80 - 77 — 157
Jorge Mazario, Pepperdine - 80 - 79 — 159
Jack Snyder, Toledo - 88 - 71 — 159
Cody Klein , South Alabama, U. of - 82 - 78 — 160
Dickon Housman*, N. Car.- Greensboro - 77 - 83 — 160
Joey Rice, Maryland, U. of - 82 - 79 — 161
Dugan Murphy, Toledo - 80 - 84 — 164
Grant Price, South Alabama, U. of - 90 - 83 — 173
Ryan Heisey*, N. Car.- Greensboro - 78 - W — -
John Isenhour*, N. Car.- Greensboro - W - W — -
*individual golfer
- UNCG -