College Men’s Golf News – Guilford’s Gross Sits 19th after 36 Holes of Patriot All-America Invitational

LITCHFIELD PARK, Ariz. – Guilford College’s Tanner Gross shot four-over-par 74 in Tuesday’s second round of the Patriot All-America Invitational. The Quakers’ sophomore slipped from seventh to 19th in the 84-man field after 36 of 54 holes at the Wigwam Resort’s Gold Course.

Aaron Wise of the University of Oregon shot a three-under 67, the tournament’s low round, and climbed atop the leaderboard with a two-day 137. He has a two-stroke edge over Kennesaw State University’s Jimmy Beck (71-68-139) and Wise’s Oregon teammate Thomas Lim (70-69-139).

Unlike in Monday’s first-round 71, Gross got off to a tough start with bogeys on four of the first five holes. He was even through nine on Monday, but made the turn today four over. Another bogey on 16 moved him to five over before he birdied the 18th hole to finish with a 74. He heads into Wednesday’s final round five over with a 145.

Gross, a 2014 Second-Team PING All-American and the 2014 NCAA Division III Freshman of the Year, started the day in seventh place. He still has the low score among 16 Division III contestants in the field comprised largely of 2014 All-Americans from all levels of college golf. Other participants include a member from each United States Military Academy, as well as Golf Coaches Association of America national award recipients, members of the most recent Palmer Cup Teams and American Junior Golf Association All-Americans and Toyota Junior Golf World Cup participants currently enrolled in their freshman year of college. This year’s field includes over 45 Division I golfers, many ranked among the top 100 by Golfstat.com.

In cooperation with the Folds of Honor Foundation, the contestants are continuing the tradition of representing a fallen service member. Each participant received a golf bag at the event’s opening ceremony with the name and branch of service of a fallen military member they will represent. Following the tournament, the bags will be auctioned off to alumni at respective schools with all proceeds benefiting the Folds of Honor Foundation to provide post-secondary educational scholarships to the families of the military service men and women killed or disabled while in active service.

Gross is playing in honor of former U.S. Army Sergeant Anton Hiett of Mount Airy, North Carolina, and the 391st Engineer Battalion, Army Reserve of Greenville, S.C. On March 12, 2006, a group of soldiers was clearing a route in eastern Afghanistan when an improvised explosive device detonated. Hiett and three others were killed.

Sgt. Hiett entered the military in 1998 just after graduating from North Surry High School. He began his career as an infantryman, but later had a desire to become a combat medic. After serving four years, he became a reservist and very much wanted to help in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He had asked to transfer to the 391st Engineer Battalion when he learned his own unit would not be deployed. He leaves behind a wife and two children.

Gross is the second Guilford student-athlete to compete in the Patriot All-America Invitational, joining two-time participant Noah Ratner ’13. Guilford coach Justin Tereshko played with Ratner in the inaugural event in 2011, representing Transylvania University.

The 54-hole 2014 Patriot All-America concludes Wednesday.