Round two of the Golf Pride Pinehurst Intercollegiate proved to be exceptionally challenging for the field. Ball State’s men’s golf team finds itself in a tie for third, even after going 30-over-par.
Thirty-over-par usually would bring about frustration and broken clubs, but on Pinehurst Course No. 2, which has hosted major championships, it just brings shrugs. The Cardinals 310 strokes were the second lowest on the 15-team event and kept them in contention moving into the final day just four strokes behind leader Old Dominion.
Junior No. 1 golfer for Ball State, Tyler Merkel, has put his head down and managed to stay at 3-over on the day, a tie for the best round individually, which moved him into first place on the individual leaderboard. Merkel was able to par holes six, eight and 15, the three toughest holes on the course, which had the field average a full stroke over par.
Saturday after the team’s practice round, senior Joe Gasser said this course was one of the toughest he had ever seen. Gasser bogeyed nine holes, and double bogeyed holes eight and 14.
Gasser’s 12-over performance was the worst on the team, the first time he has had the worst round on the team his senior year.
Sophomore McCormick Clouser and seniors Alex Stinson and Tony Lazzara finished 10-over, eight-over and nine-over, respectively.
The final 18 holes will be played tomorrow on Pinehurst No. 6, the same place as the first round.
