Bruins sit in sixth place after two rounds of Keiser Kup
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Playing through beautiful sunny conditions, temperatures in the upper 70s, and light 8 mph winds, the Bellevue University men's golf team opened its spring season on Sunday and Monday, sitting in sixth place after the first two rounds of the Kona Ice Keiser Kup.
The 54-hole tournament is hosted by Keiser University at the 6,813-yard, par-71 Okeeheelee Golf Course.
The Bruins, who are receiving votes in the latest NAIA coaches' poll, shot a 300 in Sunday's opening round and improved by five strokes to card a 295 on Monday. Bellevue's 36-hole total of 595 (+27) puts the team in sixth place in the 11-team field, just two strokes behind No. 9 Palm Beach State (593, +25) for a spot in the top five.
Top-ranked host Keiser leads the tournament at even-par 568 (281-287), holding a 13-stroke advantage over No. 18 Texas Wesleyan (581, +13). Adelphi sits in third place at 590 (+22), and Keiser's "B" team sits in fourth at 592 (+24).
At the top of the individual leaderboard, Keiser's Iver Sokhan-Sanj and Texas Wesleyan's Yevgeniy Ryu share the lead at 4-under par (138) following the first 36 holes. Keiser's Yann Ferrando sits in third place at 1-under par (141), while his teammate Jack Peters occupies fourth at 1-over par (143). Adelphi's Johnny Solari and Alex Veneziano of Ave Maria are tied for fifth at 2-over par (144).
Dylan Rodgers and Thomas Gatlin pace the Bruins, sitting in a tie for 17th place at 6-over par (148). Rodgers followed up an opening-round 76 with an even-par 72 on Monday. He carded 11 pars and two birdies on Sunday, converting on the 508-yard, par-5 eighth and 549-yard, par-5 15th holes, before tallying a team-high 13 pars and birdies on the sixth and 15th holes in the second round.
Gatlin shot rounds of 75 and 73, recording 11 pars and birdies on the second and 17th holes in the first round. In round two, Gatlin added 12 pars and a pair of birdies on the 555-yard, par-5 10th and 445-yard, par-4 13th holes.
Randy Christiansen is tied for 22nd place at 7-over (149). He opened the tournament with a team-best 72 on Sunday, compiling 15 pars and a birdie on the 419-yard, par-4 12th hole. He followed that with a 77 and 12 pars on Monday.
Kyle Dale is tied for 26th at 8-over (150) after rounds of 77 and 73. Dale closed his opening round with three consecutive birdies on holes 15, 16, and 17, and he added 11 pars and birdies on the 10th and 12th holes in the second round.
Ludwig Klingspor rounds out the lineup in 63rd place at 163 (85-78). He improved by seven strokes in the second round, securing 10 pars and a birdie on the 413-yard, par-4 first hole.
Bellevue Individual Results
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t-17th - Dylan Rodgers: 76-72 = 148 (+6)
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t-17th - Thomas Gatlin: 75-73 = 148 (+6)
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t-22nd - Randy Christiansen: 72-77 = 149 (+7)
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t-26th - Kyle Dale: 77-73 = 150 (+8)
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63rd - Ludwig Klingspor: 85-78 = 163 (+21)
Up Next Final round play resumes tomorrow morning with an 8 a.m. shotgun start.
