Late Charge Helps No. 22 Vols Move Up Linger Longer Invitational Leaderboard

Saturday, March 16

Greensboro, GA

All Day

University of Tennessee

Linger Longer Invitational

Late Charge Helps No. 22 Vols Move Up Linger Longer Invitational Leaderboard

March 16, 2019 | Men's Golf

Tennessee finishes 7-under-par over the last nine holes of the round to move up three spots on the leaderboard

By: Andy Kovar

GREENSBORO, Ga. – No. 22 University of Tennessee men's golf team moved up three spots in the second round of the Linger Longer Invitational.

The Vols were helped on by a 7-under final nine holes including eight birdies and three eagles combined. Overall on Saturday, Tennessee finished 1-under-par as it was one of six teams to card a round below par.

Redshirt junior Nolan Ray had the lowest score on the course for UT today turning in a second round 69 (-3). Ray moved up 34 spots on the leaderboard to jump into the top 40.

The Brentwood, Tenn., who entered the final nine holes 1-over for his round, carded a 32 (-4) including a pair of birdies an eagle to help the Vols and himself shoot up the leaderboard. He finished bogey free over the final 14 holes of the round and was 6-under over that span

Ray was one of two players to fire a back nine of 4-under-par, joined by junior Hunter Wolcott. Wolcott, who jumped up 19 spots individually, had three birdies and an eagle to close out his Saturday.

His back nine started with back-to-back birdies on the par-5 second and the par-3 third. After a bogey, Wolcott responded with an eagle on the par-5 sixth while capping off the round with a birdie on No. 9 for the second consecutive day.

Junior Brayden Garrison will be in search of his third consecutive top-25 finish heading into tomorrow as he enters as the top Tennessee player on the leaderboard. Garrison is tied for 25th through 36 holes of play at 1-over-par for the tournament.

The Vols, who were as low as 11-under-par on the back nine, leaped Charlotte and Toledo while also tying Augusta on the leaderboard. In all, UT finished 13 strokes better than its opening round on Saturday.

Tennessee will tee off the final round tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. ET. The Vols will be paired with Kennesaw State (+7) and South Alabama (+8).

Coach's Take
On how the front nine has been playing:
"The front nine is much easier and they had a couple tees up today." – Coach Brennan Webb

On adjustments made heading into round two:
"We certainly were not in a good place mentally yesterday. Today, we showed a little bit more of who we are and have been. We just need to continue to clean up the big numbers and let the course and our rounds come to us instead of forcing the issue." – Coach Brennan Webb

Day Two Scores:
Team

1	Alabama	-12 (564)
T2	Georgia	-8 (568)
T2	Liberty	-8 (568)
T2	Louisville	-8 (568)
5	UNC-Greensboro	-5 (571)
6	Penn State	-2 (574)
7	Ohio State	-1 (575)
8	Mercer	E (576)
9	Virginia	+4 (580)
10	Kennesaw State	+7 (583)
11	South Alabama	+8 (584)
T12	Tennessee	+11 (587)
T12	Augusta	+11 (587)
14	Charlotte	+14 (590)
15	Toledo	+29 (605)