Welch Climbs 59 Spots, Oklahoma Takes Lead at NCAA Championship
Rhode Island’s Patrick Welch climbed 59 spots in round two of the NCAA Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club in Arizona.
Welch is now in a tie for 42nd at six-over par for the tournament.
Meanwhile, his Sooners have taken hold of first place in the stroke play portion of the tournament.
“It was nice to play a golf course that was yielding some birdies. Outside of Chris (Gotterup), we didn’t start out super phenomenal but we got some firepower started around the turn. On nine, 10, 11 and 12 we made quite a few birdies, with Patrick Welch and Drew Goodman leading the charge there. I’m excited about where all of our guys are at, especially with Logan (McAllister) and Chris there on the back end,” said Head Coach Ryan Hybl after the round.
The Sooners (1, +2) will enter Sunday’s third round 25 strokes ahead of the 54-hole cut and 21 shots clear of the critical match-play cut that follows Monday’s final stroke-play round.
Welch’s 2nd Round
After a 76 in round one, Welch opened the second round with back-to-back birdies on the first two holes to start two-under.
He then bogeyed four of the next five holes to drop to over par for the day, before birding the ninth hole to turn at one-over.
On the back side, Welch birdied the 10th and 11th holes, then dropped another birdie on the 14th hole.
The former Classical star closed with bogeys on the 16th and 18th holes to shoot an even par 70.