TROPHY CLUB – The ACU Wildcats are in position to win their second Lone Star Conference men's golf championship in the last three seasons after a second-round 274 on Monday left them just five shots behind tournament-leading Cameron going into Tuesday's final round.
The Wildcats were 15 shots off the pace after a 14-over-par 302 in Monday's first round, but they rebounded to shoot 14-under-par 274 in the second round to go into Tuesday's final round at even-par 576. Cameron is leading the tournament at 571 after firing rounds of 288 and 283.
Midwestern State is in third at 580 (292-288), followed by West Texas A&M in fourth at 592 (305-287), Texas A&M-Commerce in fifth at 593 (304-289) and Incarnate Word in sixth at 604 (307-297).
ACU junior
Alex Carpenter – the 2010 LSC co-champion and the three-time league Player of the Year – made the biggest move in the field, going from a first-round 78 to a second-round 65 to finish the day at 1-under-par 143. Carpenter is in second place in the individual standings, four shots behind leader Garrett Smith of Cameron. Smith fired an opening-round 71 and backed that up with a second-round 68 to finish the first day at 5-under-par 139.
Carpenter's second round got off to a hot start when he eagled the par-5 opening hole and then birdied the fifth and eighth to finish the front nine at 4-under-par. He then birdied 10, 12, 14 and 16 before finishing with a bogey on 18 to card a 65.
Freshman
Corbin Renner – named on Sunday the league's Freshman of the Year – had a big turnaround on Monday as well. He shot an opening-round 81, but then rallied with a second-round 66 and is tied for 11th in the individual standings at 3-over-par 147.
ACU's most consistent performer on Monday was sophomore
Trey Sullivan, who was last year's Freshman of the Year and on Sunday was named first team all-conference. Sullivan posted back-to-back scores of 73 and sits tied for eighth in the individual standings at 2-over-par 146.
Freshman
Luke Carpenter – named Sunday as an honorable mention all-LSC performer – is tied with Sullivan for eighth after he went 74-72 to finish at 2-over-par 146 for the day. And
Kyle Dickerson played well in the second round, rebounding from an opening-round 77 to fire a second-round 71 and finish the day at 4-over-par 148.
