MYRTLE BEACH – Two of the top 10 team in the nation – #8 Georgia Tech at 9-under par 567 and #2 Texas A&M at 7-under 569 – sit atop the leaderboard after 36 holes in the 2018 General Hackler Championship, presented by Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday and played at the par-72, 7,233-yard The Dunes Golf & Beach Club.
LSU’s Philip Barbaree is the individual leader after day one, shooting a 5-under 139 (68-71), with #14 Stephen Franken (NC State), #79 Luke Schniederjans (Georgia Tech) and Chris Petefish (Georgia Tech) sitting one stroke off the lead.
The 15-team field features 14 of the nation’s top 100 teams. Other top programs include #38 Kentucky (third place after two rounds), #12 LSU (fourth-tied), #31 NC State (sixth), #26 South Carolina (seventh), #23 North Florida (ninth) and #32 Kent State (10th-tied). Coastal Carolina is in 15th with a 36-hole score of 600 (298-302).
The two-day event will conclude with 18 final holes Sunday with the first tee times starting at 8:30 am.
Coastal, playing with Texas A&M and Georgia Tech, was even par and in fifth place in the latter half of the first round, but three double bogeys and a triple over the final five holes was too much to overcome.
“Today was a setback,” said head coach Jim Garren. “We did not carry ourselves to our expectations and we did not represent Coastal Carolina the way we should. I will take the blame for that. It is my job to have our guys better prepared and have them overcome adversity better.”
Andrew Roy led the team in the morning session, shooting an even par 72 with four bogeys and four birdies. Daniel Overas led the squad in the afternoon. The junior also carded an even par round with three bogeys and three birdies. Overas is tied for 53rd overall (78-72=150) and Roy is tied for 64th (72-80=152).
Luis Ruiz leads the squad overall after two rounds as he carded a 75 in the morning and jumped eight spots into a tie for 38th with a 1-over par 73 in the afternoon for a two-round score of 148.
Thadd Obecny II (75-77=152) is tied with Roy at 64th and Morgan Deneen is in 82nd (76-81=157). States Fort, playing as an individual, is tied for 77th (75-80=155).
