Oct. 17, 2015
Results and pairings via Golfstat
Alpharetta, Ga. – The Georgia Tech men’s golf team slipped into a tie for 10th place after 36 holes at the 10th United States Collegiate Championship at the Golf Club of Georgia. The Jackets finished the day with a score of 299 (+11), falling 16 shots off the pace of fifth-ranked Wake Forest.
TECH LINEUP — None of the Tech players gained any traction on a brilliantly sunny, but breezy day Saturday. Vincent Whaley and Michael Pisciotta each shot 74 (+2), while Chris Petefish added a 75 (+3) and Jacob Joiner a 76 (+4). James Clark birdied his first hole but wound up with a non-counting 79.
Pisciotta, who grew up playing the Golf Club of Georgia, and Joiner are in a tie for 27th place individually at 146 (+2). Whaley is the closest Yellow Jacket to them at 147 (+3), tied for 35th heading into Sunday’s final round.
Tyler Joiner shot 74, while Michael Hines carded a 75 playing as individuals. Joiner is tied for 25th individually at 145 (+1) for 36 holes, higher than any of his teammates competing for Tech’s team score.
TEAM LEADERBOARD — Led by Cameron Young’s 69, Wake Forest shot 285 (-3) Saturday to take the 36-hole lead at 569 (-7), one shot ahead of top-ranked Auburn. The Tigers matched the Demon Deacons’ 285 Saturday and have a two-round total of 570 (-6). Fourth-ranked Florida State is third at 572 (-4) after posting a second-round 290 (+2).
East Tennessee State was the biggest mover Saturday posting a 6-under-par score of 282 and leaping seven spots to fourth place (575 (-1). The rest of the field is over par for 36 holes, with No. 21 Clemson and No. 8 Stanford tied for fifth place at 579 (+3). No. 22 Virginia and No. 9 Oklahoma are tied for seventh place at 581, followed by Texas in ninth at 584.
Tech and No. 7 Southern California are tied for 10th another stroke back at 585 (+9). Mississippi took the biggest fall after shooting 15-over-par 303, dropping seven positions to 16th place.
INDIVIDUAL LEADERBOARD — Auburn’s Will Young fired his second consecutive 68 and has the individual lead at 8-under-par 136, one stroke ahead of Young, whose 69 gave him a 36-hole score of 137 (-7). Defending champion Derek Bard of Virginia, who opened with a 66 Friday, shot 72 Saturday and holds third place at 138 (-6).
Gudmundur Kristjansson of East Tennessee State is fourth at 139 (-5), and three players are tied for fifth at 140 (-4).
HEAD COACH Bruce Heppler SAYS — “It’s a little more difficult starting on the back. Normally you can make some headway starting on the front and shoot a good score. We played 17 really well but didn’t make any birdies on 18 (a par-5), which didn’t help. We just didn’t do the things we need to do to post a score. We have the same scenario tomorrow, so we just need to get off to a better start and do a better job on the back nine.”
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION — The Carpet Capital Collegiate concludes Sunday at the 7,017-yard, par 72 Lakeside Course at the Golf Club of Georgia, which also serves as the Yellow Jackets’ home course. Tech has been the institutional host of this event since its inception in 2006. The Yellow Jackets finished seventh last year while Texas outlasted Virginia for the team title. The Cavaliers’ Derek Bard won medalist honors. The field is traditionally one of the strongest in college golf, and 16 of the 17 teams this year are in the current Golfstat top 50. Seven of those are ranked among the top 10, with five others in the top 25.
The field, in alphabetical order with Golfstat ranking — Auburn (1), Clemson (21), East Tennessee State (50), Florida State (4), Georgia Tech (19), Iowa (43), Kent State (48), LSU (27), Mississippi (71), Oklahoma (9), Oklahoma State (2), Southern California (7), Stanford (8), Texas (13), UCLA (24), Virginia (22), Wake Forest (5)
TECH’S UNITED STATES COLLEGIATE CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY — Georgia Tech has won the USCC twice in its nine-year history, in 2010 and 2012. Clemson is the only other multiple winner, having captured the inaugural title in 2006 and again in 2009. James White, who set tournament records for 18-hole score (62) and 54-hole score (204), won medalist honors in 2010, while Ollie Schniederjans won it in 2013 for Tech’s only individual titles. The Yellow Jackets’ seventh-place finish last fall was its lowest in the nine previous events.
ABOUT GEORGIA TECH GOLF
Georgia Tech’s golf team is in its 21st year under head coach Bruce Heppler. The Yellow Jackets have won 16 Atlantic Coast Conference Championships, made 28 appearances in the NCAA Championship and been the national runner-up four times. Connect with Georgia Tech Golf on social media by liking their Facebook page, or following on Twitter (@GT_Golf). For more information on Tech golf, visit Ramblinwreck.com.
