Monday, May 5, 2008

CARROLL SHOOTS 71, TIED FOR FOURTH AT NCAA REGIONAL

“Senior Chris Wynne Posts 77 in Opening Round”

MOORESVILLE, N.C. --- Tusculum College junior Chase Carroll birdied three of his last four holes to post a one-under par 71 and is tied for fourth place after the opening round of the 2008 NCAA Division II Southeast Regional, held this week at The Point Lake and Golf Club.

Carroll (Knoxville, Tenn./Bearden HS) is two shots out of the lead, while senior teammate Chris Wynne (Johnson City, Tenn./Science Hill HS) shot 77 and is tied for 31^st.

Carroll, who is making his second NCAA postseason appearance, posted a steady opening nine with a pair of birdies and seven pars for his outward 34. The two-time All-South Atlantic Conference honoree birdied the two par fives on his front nine to pull himself within a stroke of the lead. Carroll bogeyed the first two holes on his inward nine, including a three-putt on hole No. 1 and a bogey six on No. 2. After pars on the next two holes, he carded another bogey to move out of red figures. But Carroll rebounded with birdies on No. 6, 8 and 9, including a pair of 10-footers on the later two holes to shoot 71. Carroll was one of seven players in the field to shoot under par on the 7,037-yard, par 72 layout.

Wynne’s round started off sluggish as he bogeyed the opening hole and carded a double-bogey six on his next hole to be three over after two. After a bogey at No. 14, Wynne answered on the next hole as he chipped in from a green-side bunker for a birdie two to move back to three-over for his round. He cut closer to level par with a birdie on the 17^th hole, but posted a bogey on No. 18 to shoot 39 on his outward nine.

Following a bogey on No. 1, Wynne hit his approach shot on the 200-yard par three No. 3 within four-feet of the hole to post his third birdie of the day. His steady round took a turn on No. 5 as he scored a triple-bogey to move to six over. The 2008 SAC Player of the Year rebounded shooting one-under par for his last four holes, including a birdie on the par five eighth. The three-time NCAA Tournament participant had a four-footer for eagle on No. 8 that just missed as he finished with a 38 on his last nine.

Juan Bialet, of Georgia College & State University, shares the first round lead at three-under par with Newberry’s Daniel Stanley. GC&SU holds the team lead by eight shots after the first round. The Bobcats had a three-under-par team total with Newberry in second with a 293. Lander is in third with 294.

The NCAA Southeast Regional continues on Tuesday with the second round. The regional will conclude on Wednesday with the final 18 holes.

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