BROOKSVILLE, Fla. – Creeping back toward the field in blustery afternoon conditions at Southern Hills Plantation on Saturday, USF remained in the top spot following the second round of the 2021 American Athletic Conference Men’s Golf Championship. The Bulls were one of just three teams in the field at par or better following the opening 36 holes.
Due to the potential for inclement weather in the area, tee times for Sunday’s final round of the 2021 American Men’s Golf Championship have been adjusted. Teams will tee off the first and 10th tees in foursomes beginning at 8:30 a.m. (ET).
The average score for the second round of play on Saturday at Southern Hills Plantation was nearly a full stroke higher than round one, checking in at 73.40. A total of 12 players finished under par during a windy Saturday on the par-72, 7,221-yard track, with only three players registering scores in the 60s.
USF maintained a double-digit lead despite a 4-over-par team round of 292, heading into the final round in front by 11 strokes at 562 (270-292, -14). Albin Bergstrom (68-71) and Kyle Flexsenhar (66-73) each tied for second place at 5-under-par 139, with Sam Nicholson and Run Youprayong carded matching rounds of 70-74 to place 11th at even par (144) after 36 holes.
SMU climbed one spot into second place with a strong showing of 2-under-par 286 to move to 3-under (287-286=573) for the tournament. Noah Goodwin turned in a second consecutive 2-under 70 to tie for fourth place at 140 (70-70, -4), while Nathan Petronzio chipped in a 71 to climb into a share of eighth place (72-71=143, -1). Ollie Osborne notched a second straight 72 to tie for 11th place at even par (72-72=144), and Mac Meissner rebounded with a round of 73 to tie for 25th place at 148 (75-73, +4).
Wichita State made the biggest jump up the leaderboard on day two, gaining five positions to move into solo third place at even par with a 9-under team showing of 279 (297-279=576) in the second round. Marcus Wochner remained in the driver’s seat in the race for tournament medalist with six birdies as part of a 2-under-par 70, taking a three-shot lead at 136 (66-70, -8). Frank Thomas moved into a tie for 17th place at 1-over-par (76-69=145), and Brock Polhill added a 69 of his own to tie for 30th place (80-69=144, +5). Zac Owens was the final Shocker to count on Saturday, carding a 1-under round of 71 to share 21st place (76-71=147, +3).
East Carolina claimed a share of fourth place following a 2-over-par 290, checking in at 577 (287-290, +1). Stephen Carroll and AJ Beechler tied for eighth place at 143, with Carroll logging scores of 69-74 and Beechler 72-71. Tim Bunten checked in with a share of 11th place with rounds of 73-71 for an even par score of 144. Patrick Stephenson jumped into a tie of 21st place with a score of 147 (73-74, +3).
Memphis fell two places into a tie for fourth place with a 4-over round of 292 to match ECU at 577 (285-292, +1). Borja Martin powered the Tigers with a 2-under round of 70 to move into seventh place at 142 (72-70, -2). Oskar Ambrosius moved into 19th place with a second straight 73 (146, +2), and Guillaume Chevalier tied for 21st with rounds of 71-76=147 (+3). Isaiah Jackson improved by two shots to share 25th place with rounds of 75-73 for a 148 (+4).