HENDERSON, NEVADA – The UT Tyler men's golf team moved up a spot on the team leaderboard into 16
th place with a second-round score of 309 in Tuesday's second round of the Las Vegas Desert Classic.
The second-round total for the Patriots matched their first round of 309 to give UT Tyler a 618 total through two rounds of play, and jumped the squad over CSU Dominguez Hills into 16
th place on the team leaderboard after two rounds. Sophomore
Jackson Powers continued to lead the Patriots in the event with a second-round 74, and will enter tomorrow's final round in a tie for 12
th place with two-round total of 146.
The Legacy Golf Club played substantially more difficult in Tuesday's second round, even for a field that boasts eight teams ranked within in the national top-25 rankings and three teams within the top-10 of the rankings according to GolfStat. The field scoring average rose nearly three full strokes from 74.71 to 77.48, while only two players recorded under-par rounds in the second round after 19 players posted sub-par efforts in the first round on Monday.
Powers slid up 11 spots on the individual leaderboard with his second round 74, and sits just six shots back of individual leader Kittiphong Phaithuncharoensuk of Texas A&M-Commerce at 140 (69-71). UT Tyler bested seven other teams on Tuesday with their 309 in the brutal conditions, and will have opportunity to move a few more spots up the leaderboard with a quality finish in tomorrow's final round.
Sophomore
Carter Lewis bested the field scoring average alongside Powers on Tuesday with a 75, that was powered by a back-nine score of two-under 34. Lewis sits in a tie for 47
th place on the individual leaderboard after rounds of 77-75 for a 152 total.
Classmate
Alex Kopenhaver posted the third scoring round for UT Tyler with a 79, and will enter the final round in a tie for 90
th place with a 162 (83-79) total. Freshman
Jackson Naeger fired an 81 to sit in a tie for 80
th place with a 158 (77-81) two-round total, while sophomore
Garrett Honeycutt rounded out the scoring for the Patriots with an 85 to sit in 95
th place at 169 (85-84).
UT Tyler maintained their positioning over a pair of in-region foes on Tuesday, including no. 46 Colorado-Colorado Springs, who will enter the final round five strokes back of the Patriots with a 623 (310-313) total.
The third and final round of the Las Vegas Desert Classic will get started tomorrow morning with an 8:00 shotgun start.
