PORT ST. LUCIE, FL -- The South Carolina State men's golf team is in sixth place among thirteen (13) Division I schools, while the SC State women are third in a six-team women's field after the opening round of the 22nd PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship at the PGA Golf Club.
Second-round action of the three-day, 54-hole event will get underway Saturday at 7:30 a.m., with the final 18 holes to be played Sunday.
The Bulldogs carded an 18-hole team total of 302 for their sixth-place showing, nine strokes behind co-leaders Florida A&M and Savannah State at 293, followed by Jackson State (294), Bethune-Cookman (298) and Texas-Pan American (299).
Senior Aaron Robinson led the SC State effort with a 1-over par 73. He was followed by two other seniors -- Matt Gilliard with a 74 and Cory Jozefiak at 77. Junior Robert Biggers had a 5-over par 77. Also competing for retiring Coach Richard Arrington's team is sophomore Hector Arroyave who was 8-over par with an 80 and Brennen Thomas, another sophomore, who was participating in the individual field and carded a 93.
Jackson State's Michael Bailey had a 5-under par 67 to lead the overall individual scoring.
Arrington, who is slated to retire as Bulldog coach at the end of June, noted that only nine strokes separated his team from the first-round leader.
“We are within striking distance, just nine strokes out of first,” said Arrington. “But, we need a strong round on Saturday to make up some ground.”
The SC State women, participating in the event for only the second time, carded a team total of 340 to trail leader and defending champion Bethune-Cookman, who was at 309 and Texas-Pan American with a 310. The 338 score was 15 strokes better than the team's opening round in last year's tournament.
Freshman Honesty Biggers paced the Lady Bulldog effort with a 10-over par 82. She was followed by sophomore Addi McLaren with an 11-over par 83 after taking a two-stoke penalty for playing from the wrong tee on the second hole. All three participants in her group suffered the same penalty.
McLaren was trailed by senior Jennie McCollum with an 85 and junior Danielle Williams with a 90. Also in the field for Coach Herman Belton's team is sophomore Geneva Mackey who had a 98.
Texas-Pan American's Ale Camey was the individual leader in the women's field with a 3-over par 75.
Belton said his team's first-round showing could have been better, however, he noted that the third-place showing was an improvement over last season's event.
“I'm happy we are in contention,” Belton said. “We should have done a little better, but our program is still relatively young. And, although we have made some strides, we are still a work in progress.”
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