May 29, 2002
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Georgia Tech men’s golf team, led by a 4-under-par, 67 by freshman Nick Thompson, is in second place with four Yellow Jacket players still out on the course, as the first round of play at the NCAA Championships was halted by heavy rains that hit the Columbus, Ohio, area. The NCAAs will continue on Thursday with the conclusion of the first round of play and the second round at the par-71, 7,222-yard Scarlet Course on the campus of Ohio State.
The top-ranked Yellow Jackets opened play on the back nine and made the turn at 2-under-par, before beginning to make a charge on the front side to close out the day. Tech stands at 8-under-par as a team through 13 holes, one shot behind current leader Illinois, which is at 9-under-par, through 10 holes of play.
Thompson was the lone Tech individual to finish his round, as he carded a season-best-tying 33-34=67 and is currently tied for third place with San Diego State’s Mark Warman (67), one shot off the pace of Ben Portie of Colorado (66) and Brock Mackenzie of Washington. Both players are at 5-under-par, with Mackenzie still having four holes remaining in his first round.
The remaining Yellow Jacket individuals still on the course include senior Kris Mikkelsen, who is among 14 players tied for seventh place at 2-under-par through 14 holes, while senior Matt Weibring and freshman Chan Wongluekiet tied with 21 other players in 21st place at 1-under-par. Wongluekiet was waiting to attempt a 10-foot putt for birdie on the 18th green when the rains came. Junior Troy Matteson is at 2-over-par with five holes remaining in his round.
The first round will likely resume at 7 a.m. on Thursday morning, weather permitting, with the second round beginning immediately after the conclusion of the first.
