JEKYLL ISLAND, Ga. - On Friday in the first round at Jekyll Island, the Eagles started out hot and then fell back as the round progressed. On Saturday in the second round they followed the same pattern, but even more dramatically. After a torrid start the Eagles finished the round with a team score 311, which dropped them three spots in a field full of nationally elite golf teams.
Freshman Jason Spaar and senior Jake Norby got the Eagles off to a hot start when they each had two birdies on the first three holes. Added to an up-and-down birdie on the first hole for senior Ocean Armstrong, and the Eagles were 5 under par through three holes, by far the best start of all the teams in the tournament. Bridgewater briefly moved up to the 21st spot, among 30 of the best teams in the country.
Spaar and Norby both made the turn at even-par, but had more difficult back nines finishing with scores of 82 and 78 respectively. The team's fortune went in a similar fashion.
After the hot start the Eagles turned to the back nine a cumulative 8 over par and had fallen to the rear of the field.
Armstrong eagled the par-5 18th hole to shoot 76 and lead the team on Saturday.
Senior Luke Hill shot a 78, and junior Ronald Uszenski carded a 79. Uszenski has been searching out his ball striking all week, and did well keep his round together after a double bogey on the first hole.
The Eagles finished the day in a tie for 29th with St. John Fisher College. As a result Bridgewater missed the cut to remain in the main field, and will play a different golf course for the final round on Sunday.
"One of our main goals this week was to make the cut, because that would require some very good golf in this field," said head coach John Rogers. "Now we have work to do tomorrow to earn a spot in the tournament next year, but there is no quit in these guys, so we will be looking for a strong finish."
Play resumes at 7:45 a.m. on Sunday, and live scoring can be seen on Golfstat: http://results.golfstat.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=team&tid=13723.
