Feb. 19, 2012
Rio Grande, Puerto Rico – All-American James White fired a 2-under-par 70 Sunday, and 6th-ranked Georgia Tech shot an opening round of 2-over 290 and stands in eighth place at the Puerto Rico Classic.
Complete results and tee times
Freshman Ollie Schniederjans carded an even-par 72, while Richard Werenski added a 73 and freshman Anders Albertson a 75 to count for the Yellow Jackets on the 6,902-yard Westin Rio Mar River Course. Bo Andrews, who has finished in the top 10 of Tech’s last three events, shot 77 Sunday.
Of the 15 teams competing this weekend, seven are ranked among the nation’s top 50 in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index.
Eighth-ranked Alabama got four subpar scores Sunday to post a 12-under-par 276 and take a seven-stroke lead over No. 13 Clemson (5-under 283). Oklahoma shot 284 and is in third, followed by top-ranked Texas and Virginia Tech, who are tied for fourth at even-par 288. Georgia and Purdue, who each shot 289, are tied for sixth place, one shot ahead of the Yellow Jackets.
“We got off to a slow start, but we played steady for awhile,” said head coach Bruce Heppler. “When we got to a part of the course with several holes where you have to make some birdies, we didn’t execute like we usually do around the greens. We just need to get ready to go again tomorrow. We shot about as high as we could today.”
White, a senior from Acworth, Ga., broke par for the sixth time in his last seven times out with a steady round. He had three birdies and one bogey on his card. Schniederjans, a freshman from Powder Springs, Ga., had two birdies and two bogeys in his round.
The Yellow Jackets will be paired with Georgia and NC State for Monday’s second round and tee off at 7 a.m. in a shotgun start.
PUERTO RICO CLASSIC
Westin Rio Mar Resort River Course, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico
First-Round Results
TEAM STANDINGS
Alabama 276 (-12), Clemson 283, Oklahoma 284, Texas 288, Virginia Tech 288, Georgia 289, Purdue 289, Georgia Tech 290, NC State 292, Oklahoma State 294, UNC Greensboro 296, North Carolina 302, Ohio State 303, East Tennessee State 306, Michigan 306
PLAYER LEADERBOARD
Justin Thomas, Alabama, 67 (-5); Adam Schenk, Purdue, 68; Thomas Bradshaw, Clemson, 69; Albin Choi, NC State, 69; Cory Whitsett, Alabama, 69; James White, Georgia Tech, and 10 others tied at 70.
GEORGIA TECH SCORES
James White 70 (T6), Ollie Schniederjans 72 (T21), Richard Werenski 73 (T30), Anders Albertson 75 (T42), Bo Andrews 77 (T54)
