Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
J.T. Poston Invitational
Wolf, Blue Raiders set records on first day of JT Poston Invitational
9/27/2021 6:34:00 PM | Men's Golf
Sapphire, N.C. – Graduate student Nick Wolf used a hole-in-one on his second hole of the day to tie the Middle Tennessee record for the lowest single-round score and help the Blue Raiders set the record for the lowest team round in program history. No MT golfer posted a first-round score higher than par in the first round of Western Carolina's JT Poston Invitational en route to a score of 268 (-16), two strokes better than the previous record.
Wolf started his day by following a par on the 10th hole with an ace on the 11th. He proceeded to record seven birdies on his way to a score of 63 (-8), equaling his collegiate best and the program record, first set in 2011 by Jason Millard. Wolf finished the round in first place, as did his team.
Kevin Jegers recorded an eagle of his own on hole 12, carding a 67 (-4) in the first round for his lowest round of the fall. Owen Stamper recorded the Blue Raiders' third eagle of the round on the 14th hole as he recorded a 69 (-2). Mattias Varjun's four first-round birdies helped him finish the first round at 69 (-2). The score that did not count toward the Blue Raiders' first-round score was Michael Barnard's even-par round of 71.
Middle Tennessee bested its single-round team score record of 270, set in the 2007 Jaguar Intercollegiate. MT ended the round six strokes ahead of second-place South Carolina.
Playing as individuals, Gavin Clements and Connor Daly turned in excellent first rounds of their own. Daly finished at 68 (-3), while Clements carded a 69.
The Blue Raiders slipped to third as a team in the second round, recording a score of 285 (+1). Barnard carded a 70 (-1) in the afternoon round to lead MT. He ended the first day of play in a tie for 30th at 141 (-1). Varjun, Jegers, Stamper and Clements are all deadlocked at 140 (-2) in a tie for 19th. Wolf is tied for 12th at 138 (-4). Daly ended the first day in a tie for 54th place at 146 (+4).
Wolf's first-round score of 63 is the lowest score in the history of the JT Poston Invitational. MT's team score of 268 is the fifth-lowest in tourney history.
Middle Tennessee is six strokes behind leader South Carolina and four behind Chattanooga heading into Tuesday's third and final round
The Blue Raiders' three eagles are the most by any team in the tournament. Its 38 birdies are fourth-most.
HEAD COACH MARK MCENTIRE ON A SOLID FIRST ROUND
"What a great first round today," head coach Mark McEntire said. "We got off to an incredible start, making three eagles on the first five holes, and we kept it going with great rounds by everyone. In the afternoon, we played solid and put ourselves in position with a good round tomorrow to get into the mix. The goal is to get off to another good start and keep going."
UP NEXT
The Blue Raiders are back in action at UAB's Graeme McDowell Intercollegiate in Gadsden, Ala., September 27-28.
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Players Mentioned
