April 19, 2002
UWHARRIE POINT, N.C. – The Georgia Tech golf team placed four players in the top 10, led by senior Kris Mikkelsen and freshman Nick Thompson, both of whom are tied for second place at 5-under-par, and tied the second-lowest round in school history, to take the first round lead at the ACC Championship. The 54-hole tournament is being contested at the par-72, 7,102-yard Old North State Club in Uwharrie Point, N.C.
The top-ranked Yellow Jackets were dominant on the first day of play, throwing out a score of 1-under-par, 71 en route to an outstanding opening-round score of 17-under-par 271. The score of 271 was just one stroke off the school record and matched Tech’s second-round score at the 2000 Jerry Pate Intercollegiate. The Jackets lead second-ranked Clemson (280) by nine shots entering Saturday’s second round.
Mikkelsen and Thompson were the top performers for the Jackets on the opening day as the duo is tied for second place at 5-under-par after 18 holes of play. Mikkelsen finished the day with a score of 34-33-67, while Thompson was at 33-34-67. For Thompson, the round was the lowest of his career, while Mikkelsen matched his season low. Both players trail individual leader Dustin Bray of North Carolina (34-32-66) by just one stroke after the first round.
Senior Matt Weibring followed Mikkelsen and Thompson and is tied for fourth place after he opened the tournament with a round of 4-under-par, 35-33-68. He joins Clemson’s Gregg Jones (33-35-68) just two shots off the lead. Junior Troy Matteson is the fourth Yellow Jacket in the top six, as he is one of two players tied for sixth place at 3-under-par, 35-34-69. Rounding out the Tech contingent is Freshman Chan Wongluekiet, who had a solid opening round as he is among six players tied for 13th place at 1-under-par, 36-35-71. Wongluekiet’s score did not factor in the Jackets’ outstanding opening team score.
The ACC Championships will continue on Saturday with the second round play beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the Old North State Club. Tech will be grouped in threesomes with Clemson and North Carolina for the second 18 holes of play. Full tournament results are available at www.theacc.com.
TEAM SCORES AFTER 18 HOLESFin. School Scores 1 Georgia Tech 271 -17 2 Clemson University 280 -8 3 North Carolina, U of 283 -5 4 North Carolina State 288 E 5 Wake Forest Univ. 290 +2 6 Duke University 291 +3 Virginia, U. of 291 +3 8 Florida State Univ. 292 +4 9 Maryland, U. of 294 +6
TOP-10 INDIVIDUALS AND TECH PLAYERS Fin. Name School Scores 1 Dustin Bray N Carolina 34- 32 66 -6
2 Kris Mikkelsen Ga. Tech 34- 33 67 -5 Nick Thompson Ga. Tech 33- 34 67 -5
4 Gregg Jones Clemson 33- 35 68 -4 Matt Weibring Ga. Tech 35- 33 68 -4
6 Troy Matteson Ga. Tech 35- 34 69 -3 Corey Brigham Maryland 35- 34 69 -3
8 Peter Mitchell Florida St 36- 34 70 -2 Bill Haas Wk. Forest 36- 34 70 -2 Ben Duncan Clemson 37- 33 70 -2 Brad Moldin N Carolina 35- 35 70 -2 Rodney Thomas NC State 35- 35 70 -2
GEORGIA TECH INDIVIDUALS T13 Chan Wongluekiet Ga. Tech 36- 35 71 -1
