Mocs in Second Place in NCAA Central Regional

STILLWATER, Okla.—The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men’s golf team is right where it wants to be in 24 hours; in the top five at the NCAA South Central Regional at the Karsten Creek Golf Course. The Mocs shot a 12-over par 300 and are alone in second place at 598 (+22).

No. 4 Oklahoma State is the leader after 36 holes at nine-over par 585. The Cowboys used the local knowledge of their home course to good use with an impressive one-over par score of 289 for the second round.

The Mocs made a lot of noise early. Fredrik Qvicker led off the day’s round and moved Chattanooga into a tie for first with OSU when he made a blind chip shot from off the third green as both teams were nine-over par for the tournament.

Derek Rende kept the momentum going with his first birdie of the day on eight to give the Mocs the outright lead at eight over. Stephan Jaeger followed with a birdie on seven to get UTC to seven-over par.

Chattanooga stumbled at the turn falling back seven shot to 14 over, while the Cowboys surged to plus seven. Within a 30-minute span, the Mocs charged back to tie it at 13-over par on a Qvicker birdie at 12.

But the Cowboys were not to be denied. OSU closed strong shooting five-under par as a team over the final eight holes to take a commanding 13-shot lead into the final round.

Jaeger was phenomenal on the day for Chattanooga with a two-under par round of 70. He is one-under par 143 for 36 holes sitting in third place overall, one shot behind OSU’s Peter Uihlein and Wichita State’s Connor McHenry at two-under 142.

Ben Rickett was solid all day shooting a one-over par 73. He had three birdies with four bogeys. Rickett is now in fourth at one-over par 145, just three shots out of the individual lead.

Qvicker bounced back from an opening round 79 (+7) with a 73 (+1) today. The junior made the turn at minus two and was at one under through 15. Qvicker carded bogeys at 16 and 17 before parring 18. He is now tied for 30th at 152 (+8).

It was a tough day for Rende and Jonathan Hodge. With winds at 20 miles per hour and gusting to 25 throughout the day, it was not the day to battle your swing. Rende finished his day at 84, while Hodge shot 87.

The top five teams advance to the NCAA Finals May 26-30 at the Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio. The current top five are OSU (585), Chattanooga (598), Arkansas (599), Northwestern (603) and LSU (605). Most importantly, the Mocs are 10 shots clear of sixth place Wichita State at 608.

Tomorrow’s final round starts at 9:40 a.m., with the Mocs playing again with Oklahoma State and Arkansas. Hodge leads off followed by Rende, Qvicker, Rickett and Jaeger.