April 21, 2012
New London, N.C. – Richard Werenski fired a 6-under-par 66 and Georgia Tech continued its torrid pace with a 14-under-par team score of 274 Saturday, expanding its lead to 11 strokes after the second round at the Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Golf Championship, which concludes Sunday, April 22, at The Old North State Club at Uwharrie Point.
The 8th-ranked Yellow Jackets have a two-day total of 544, which is 32 shots under par and one short of the 54-hole ACC Championship record score of 33-under-par, set last year by Tech in winning its third consecutive ACC title. No. 20 Virginia has a 21-under 555 total after shooting a 9-under 279 on Saturday. No. 24 Florida State shot 8-under-par 280 Saturday and holds third place at 17-under 559.
All-American James White, winner of this year’s Byron Nelson Award as the nation’s top senior player, and freshman Anders Albertson each shot 68 for the Yellow Jackets, while Bo Andrews added an even-par 70. Ollie Schniederjans shot a 73 Saturday and did not count for Tech.
If head coach Bruce Heppler’s squad can hold its lead Sunday, Tech will have captured four straight ACC crowns, the first for an ACC school since the Yellow Jackets reeled off consecutive titles in 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994. Tech has led the ACC Championship since the opening round of the 2009 tournament, and has shot the low round of the day in nine of the 11 rounds, and each of the last eight.
“We got off to a little slower start today, but we hung in there and had some guys play really well on the back nine,” said Heppler. “James (White) had a good round, and as our senior, he needs too. The younger guys played better yesterday and hung in there today. But so far, everyone is in the game and it is a pretty special round that Richy (Werenski) played. It should be a great day tomorrow.”
Werenski, a sophomore from South Hadley, Mass., had seven birdies and a bogey on his card Saturday and moved into the individual lead after the second round of play with a total of 9-under 135. It is his highest standing in an event since he tied for ninth at the fall Carpet Capital Collegiate.
Three players are tied at second place with an 8-under 136, including Virginia Tech’s Blake Redmond (Sr., Sugarland, Tex.), Wake Forest’s Lee Bedford (Sr., Cary, N.C.) and Virginia’s Denny McCarthy (Fr., Rockville, Md.). McCarthy fired the low round of the day, a 7-under 65, which also tied the ACC course record with five other players, the most recent was Duke’s Adam Long in 2010.
Albertson, a freshman from Woodstock, Ga., who had five birdies and one bogey Saturday, is tied for fifth with two others at 7-under-par 137, while Andrews and White are tied for eighth at 6-under 138. Schniederjans is tied for 11at at 139 (-5).
Florida State remained in third place with a two-day total of 17-under 559. The Seminoles are led by Daniel Berger (Fr., Jupiter, Fla.) who is tied for fifth place at 7-under 137.
Clemson moved up to fourth place with a two-day total of 11-under 565, Duke is at fifth place (567, -9), North Carolina sixth (569, -7), Virginia Tech and Maryland tied for seventh (570, -6), NC State ninth (573, -3), Wake Forest at 10th (574, -2), and Boston College in 11th (598, +22).
Live scoring, daily results and complete championship information will be available at http://bit.ly/2012ACCMGolf. Live web streaming will be available for free on Sunday from 1:30 p.m. to conclusion of play) on TheACC.com.
Tee times Sunday are scheduled to start at 8:30 a.m. with Boston College and Wake Forest in the first groups. The second wave of NC State, Maryland and Virginia Tech begins at 9:10 a.m. The third wave of North Carolina, Duke and Clemson will begin at 10:10 a.m and the fourth and final wave of Florida State, Virginia and Georgia Tech begin play at 11:10 a.m.
ACC MEN’S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
Old North State Club, New London, N.C.
36-hole Results
TEAM STANDINGS
1 Georgia Tech 270 274 544 -32
2 Virginia 276 279 555 -21
3 Florida State 279 280 559 -17
4 Clemson 287 278 565 -11
5 Duke 289 278 567 -9
6 North Carolina 282 287 569 -7
T7 Virginia Tech 288 282 570 -6
T7 Maryland 287 283 570 -6
9 North Carolina State 291 282 573 -3
10 Wake Forest 285 289 574 -2
11 Boston College 305 293 598 +22
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
1 Richard Werenski, Georgia Tech 69 66 135 -9
T2 Blake Redmond, Virginia Tech 68 68 136 -8
T2 Lee Bedford, Wake Forest 67 69 136 -8
T2 Denny McCarthy, Virginia 71 65 136 -8
T5 Anders Albertson, Georgia Tech 69 68 137 -7
T5 Ben Rusch, Virginia 67 70 137 -7
T5 Daniel Berger, Florida State 66 71 137 -7
T8 James White, Georgia Tech 70 68 138 -6
T8 Chase Seiffert, Florida State 72 66 138 -6
T8 Bo Andrews, Georgia Tech 66 72 138 -6
T11 Ollie Schniederjans, Georgia Tech 66 73 139 -5
T11 Ben Kohles, Virginia 67 72 139 -5
