• Freshman RJ Bartolomucci carded a -1 (71) in the second round and sits in a tie for 11th through 36 holes.
• Junior Emile Menard had the second-best day of any Panther carding a 76 and 75 and is in a tie for 25th on the leaderboard.
• High Point improved by two strokes on the second trip around the course and enters Tuesday’s third round in ninth, but just four strokes out of the top five (304, 302; 606).
GREENVILLE, N.C. – RJ Bartolomucci paced the High Point University men’s golf team in the first day at the East Carolina Intercollegiate. The freshman carded a -1 (71) in the second round and is tied for 11th heading into Tuesday’s final round.
Bartolomucci opened his day with a +6 (78), but really heated up as the day went on. The Hilton Head, S.C. product went out in 37 (+1) in the second round, but tallied two birdies and seven pars over his final nine holes to register the top round of the day for HPU with a 71.
As a team, the Panthers posted a 304 in the first round before improving on that mark with a 302 in the second round. The combined score of 606 (+30) leaves the Purple & White in ninth in the field but just four strokes out of the top five.
“In golf, you are usually a lot closer to being where you want to be than it seems and I think that’s where we are right now,” head coach Brady Gregor said. “We just need that one round to get us going and send us in the right direction and I believe that’s coming. The leaderboard is jam-packed and heavy storms are going to move in tonight and soften up the course. That’s going to make it a shootout tomorrow, so we’re going to try to come out firing.”
Two strokes behind Bartolomucci, junior Emile Menard started slow in both rounds but was able to finish strong both times. As a result, the Canadian is tied for 25th in the talented field through 36 holes (76, 75; +7).
The squad’s other Canadian, freshman Brendan MacDougall, birdied two of his first four holes before firing a 75 in the first round. However, MacDougall couldn’t match that score in the second round with a 79 and is tied for 38th overall.
Rounding out the lineup, freshman Alec Weary (78, 77; +11) and sophomore Davis Kiger (75, 81; +12) are looking to close the event strong on Tuesday.
High Point and the rest of the field will be back on the Brook Valley Course on Tuesday for the third and final 18 holes of the tournament.