CHARLESTON, S.C. – The High Point University men’s golf team is in third after the first day at the Charleston Shootout in Hollywood, S.C. The Panthers were making a comeback, moving from seventh to third when play was suspended due to darkness in the middle of the second round. The teams will finish round two on Tuesday morning with the final round to follow.
“The guys were making adjustments and playing really well in the second round,” said head coach Greg Flesher. “Brian Sullivan made a great adjustment to his short game. McKay Tye showed a lot of poise and didn’t get rattled by one tough hole. As a team, we are showing a lot of improvement in the second round and we can’t wait to get back out there tomorrow.”
High Point shot a collective 302 in the first round led by senior Chase Wilson and sophomore Charles Valluzzo who each shot 73. Wilson was one over par for most of the round before a bogey on hole two. He got himself back to one over with a birdie on his final hole to finish the round with a 73. Valluzzo birdied his ninth hole of the round to get back to even par. A bogey two holes later put him back to plus one where he stayed for the rest of the round.
Freshman McKay Tye carded a 77 in the first round and senior Brian Sullivan turned in a 79. Sophomore LJ Georgettit rounded out the group with a 90. The Panthers sat in seventh place after the completion of round one.
In round two HPU has shot 214 with seven holes remaining, moving up to third place. Wilson is 10th in the individual standings, shooting 44 through 11 holes. He birdied his final hole before play was stopped. Valluzzo picked up where he left off in round one and is one over par after completing 10 holes.
McKay is two under par through the first 12 holes of round two. Sullivan made the biggest improvement in between rounds, going one under through 14 holes in the second round after he was plus six in round one.
USC Upstate leads the tournament with Charleston Southern one stroke ahead of HPU in second place. Stetson is two strokes back of the Panthers in fourth place.
High Point will wrap up the Charleston Shootout on Tuesday. This tournament is the first of three for High Point during the month of March as HPU will also compete in the Bash at the Beach in Myrtle Beach, S.C. on March 10-12 and in the C&F Bank Intercollegiate in Williamsburg, Va. on March 25-26.