April 5, 2002
TUCSON, Ariz. – The Georgia Tech golf team turned in a solid opening round by placing three players in the top 20 to stand in fourth place after 18 holes of play at Ping/U.S. Collegiate Championships in Tucson, Ariz. The 54-hole event is being contested at the par-72, 7,094-yard Tucson National Golf Course.
The top-ranked Yellow Jackets carded a team round of 6-under-par, 282, which places them just four shots off the pace of team leader Texas after the first round of play. The Longhorns opened with a 10-under-par score of 278.
Tech freshman Nick Thompson was the Jackets’ leading individual on the opening day, as he carded a season-best round of 4-under-par, 35-33=68, and is alone in eighth place. Senior Matt Weibring joins Thompson in the tournament’s top 10 as he opened with a 3-under-par score of 33-36=69 and is one of two players tied for ninth place. Both players trail individual leader Hunter Mahan of Oklahoma State, who scorched the Tucson National layout for an opening-round score of 10-under-par, 31-31=62, missing the course record by two shots.
Jacket senior Kris Mikkelsen was the next Tech player in the individual standings, as he opened play with an even-par score of 37-35=72 and is among six players tied for 18th place. Rookie Chan Wongluekiet was the fourth Yellow Jacket in the top 25 as he finished the first day of play with a 1-over-par score of 35-38=73 to join six players in 24th place. Senior Troy Matteson was the final member of the Tech contingent as he is part of a nine-player logjam in 30th place at 2-over-par, 34-40=74.
Tech junior Adam Cranford, who is competing as an individual in the tournament, joined Matteson in 30th place with an opening-round score of 38-36=74.
The Ping/U.S. Collegiate Championships will continue on Saturday with the second round of play at Tucson National, with tee times beginning at 9:30 a.m. EST.
TEAM SCORES AFTER 18 HOLES1. Texas 2782. Houston 2803. Oklahoma State 2814. Georgia Tech 2825. Arizona State 2866. Northwestern 289 TCU 2898. Arizona 2909. UNLV 29610. Kent State 297
TOP-1O INDIVIDUALS AND TECH PLAYERS 1. Hunter Mahan, Oklahoma State 31-31=62 2. Chris Nallen, Arizona 31-34=65 3. Kevin Hermis, Houston 32-34=66 4. Tom Johnson, Northwestern 34-33=67 John Klauk, Texas 33-34=67 Simon Robinson, Houston 34-33=67 J.J. Wall, Texas 34-33=67 8. Nick Thompson, Georgia Tech 35-33=68 9. Matt Weibring, Georgia Tech 33-36=69 Ben Flam, Arizona State 33-36=69
GEORGIA TECH INDIVIDUALS T18. Kris Mikkelsen 37-35=72 T24. Chan Wongluekiet 35-38=73 T30. Troy Matteson 34-40=74 *T30. Adam Cranford 38-36=74 *-Competing as an individual.
