GREENWOOD, S.C. – Paced by freshman Jake Miller's career-best opening- round 70, the Anderson men's golf team is in fifth place following the first two rounds of the Eighth Annual Bearcat Classic, hosted by Lander at the par-72, 6,800-yard Greenwood Country Club.
In a field featuring five nationally-ranked teams, the 17th-ranked and host Bearcats (584) lead 10th-ranked Newberry (587) by three shots heading into Tuesday's final round. Georgia College is one shot further back after notching a 588, with Coker (591) holding the fourth spot, two strokes in front of the Trojans. No. 18 Lincoln Memorial (595) shares the sixth spot with Brevard (595), while Lenoir-Rhyne, No. 20 Flagler and West Georgia all share eighth place after posting 598s.
Erskine (599), Wingate (603), No. 24 Belmont Abbey (605), Barton (607) and North Georgia (611) round out the 15-team field.
Miller (70-72=142) is alone in second place, five shots off the pace set by Lander's Michal Pospisil (70-67=137). Barton's Justin Plane (71-72=143) is one shot further back, with AU's Weston Bell sharing fourth place after carding a two-round 144.
Sophomore Grayson Bell (73-80=153) is in a seven-way tie for 53rd, while fellow sophomore David Monroe (78-79=157) shares 71st place and senior Payton Whitlock (82-77=159) is in a tie for 77th.
The three-round, two-day event is slated to conclude Tuesday.
5 Anderson +17 293 300 593
2 Jake Miller -2 70 72 142
T4 Weston Bell E 72 72 144
T53 Grayson Bell +9 73 80 153
T71 David Monroe +13 78 79 157
T77 Payton Whitlock+15 82 77 159