PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — The South Carolina State men’s golf team is tied for fourth place going into the final day of the 22nd PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship.
The Bulldogs fired a second-round 296, shaving six strokes off their first-day score for a 36-hole total of (302-296) 598 to climb from sixth place to a tie for fourth in the 13-team Division I field at the 54-hole event at the PGA Golf Club.
The S.C. State women also improved on their first-day showing with a 337, three strokes better than Friday’s total, but remained in third place in the six-team women’s field. The Lady Bulldogs were at (340-337) 677 after 36 holes.
The three-day event concludes Sunday with the final 18 holes, beginning at 7:30 a.m.
Bethune-Cookman, in fourth place after the first round, took the lead in the men’s competition with a 284 Saturday total that put the Wildcats at (298-284) at 584 for the tournament. The Wildcats’ Carl Corbin, who was at (72-68) 140, 4-under par, leads the individual standings.
Jackson State climbed from third to second and was at (294-297) 591, while first-round co-leaders Savannah State at (293-301) 594 and Florida A&M at (293-311) at 604 slipped to third and sixth, respectively, after two rounds.
Texas-Pan American had a 36-hole total of (299-299) to match the 598 of the Bulldogs.
Bethune-Cookman was also the leader in the women’s competition atop with a two-day total of (309-307) 616. Texas-Pan American was second at (310-317) 627, and then came the Lady Bulldogs.
Seniors Aaron Robinson (73-75) and Matt Gilliard (74-74), both at 148 after 36 holes, paced the Bulldogs. Robert Biggers, a junior, carded an even par 72 with 18 pars Saturday to go with an opening round of 78 and was next at 150, followed by senior Cory Jozefiak who was at (77-75) 152.
Also competing for retiring Coach Richard Arrington’s team is sophomore Hector Arroyave who was at (80-76) 156 and Brennen Thomas, another sophomore, who was participating in the individual field and was at 191.
First-round Lady Bulldog leader Honesty Biggers and Geneva Mackey, who bettered her opening-round score by 15 strokes, both had 11-over par 83s on Saturday for Coach Herman Belton’s team.
Biggers, a freshman, is the overall leader for S.C. State women with a 36-hole total of (82-83) 165. Addi McLaren trailed her with a (83-86) a 169, followed by Jennie McCollum at (85-85) 170, Mackey at (98-83) 181 and Danielle Williams at (90-98).
Ale Camey of Bethune-Cookman remained the overall individual leader with a two-day total of (75-77) 152, eight-over par.