PORT ST. LUCIE, FL – South Carolina State freshman Roberto Cacho carded a bogey-free nine-under-par 63 Saturday, following a 4-under 68 Friday for a 36-hole total 131, 13-under-par, to take the lead after two rounds in the Division I men’s individual standings at the 23rd PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship.
The Morelos, Mexico native had nine birdies, five on the front and four on the back nine, including the final three holes, in coming to within one stroke of the tournament record of 62.
Cacho has a two-shot lead over first-round leader Armen Kirossian of Texas-Pan America who was at (67-66) 133, 11-under-par, after two rounds of the 54-hole tournament that winds up Sunday.
Overall, SC State carded a team total of 293 Saturday, eight strokes better than its opening round of 301 for a 36-hole total of 594 and is in sixth place alone, after being tied for the sixth spot with Florida A&M on Friday.
Defending champion Bethune-Cookman continues to lead the 11-team Division I competition with a 36-hole total of (287-281) 568. Tennessee State is second at (288-290) 578, followed by Texas-Pan American at (291-292) 583, North Carolina Central at (296-294) at 590, Savannah State at (294-298) 592 and Coach Herman Belton’s Bulldogs at (301-293) 594.
Trailing Cacho for the Bulldogs are junior Hector Arroyave, who had a 1-under 71 Saturday after an opening-round 78 for a 36-hole total of (78-71) 149; freshman Alejandro Bernardini, who was at (76-80) 156; and senior Robert Biggers who had a 36-hole total of (79-79) 158.
Also competing for SC State is senior Byron Bush, who was at (85-99) 184 after two rounds.
Championships are also being decided in men’s Division II and a women’s division. The Benedict men were fifth in the six-team Division II field with a two-day total of 635. Fayetteville State, with a 563, leads the Division II competition.
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