Two teammates might end up battling it out Thursday for the individual national title at the men’s NCAA Division II Finals at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in northeast Denver.
Freshman Hugo Bernard and junior Saint Leo (Fla.) teammate Joey Savoie — both Canadians — stand 1-2 on the individual leaderboard after Wednesday’s second round of the DII nationals, and the individual portion of the event will conclude with Thursday’s third round.
Then again, if things continue as they have been, Bernard might run away with the championship. The freshman, who led after round 1, expanded his advantage to four strokes on Wednesday by firing a 6-under-par 66, leaving him at 13-under 131 overall. He made seven birdies in round 2, giving him 15 for two days.
Savoie backed up his first-round 69 with a 66 Wednesday to trail Bernard by four. Savoie carded seven birdies in the second round. Another stroke back, at 136, is South Carolina’s Limestone College’s Griffin Brown (69-67).
Not surpringly, in the team competition, Saint Leo leads the way — by 11 strokes over top-ranked Chico State (Calif.). The Lions are 25 under par for two rounds.
At the men’s DII finals, the format calls for three rounds of stroke play, followed by two days of medal-match play. The individual champion will be determined after the first three rounds. The top eight teams after 54 holes of stroke play will advance to the medal-match play portion of the championship.
The men’s tourney — and the women’s DII finals at CommonGround Golf Course — are part of the NCAA Division II National Championships Festival in which titles in six sports (M&W golf, M&W tennis, softball and women’s lacrosse) will be decided.
Tickets for the DII National Festival are $5 per person per day, or $15 for an all-session pass for the week. Tickets purchased at one site will be valid at all other competition sites.
For more information on the Spring Sports Festival, CLICK HERE.
For scores from the men’s tournament, CLICK HERE.
