OCEAN ISLE, N.C. -- The tendency in DII college golf is to play 54-hole tournaments, 36 the first day and a final round the second day; so the Bridgewater men's golf team had a marathon-day on the golf course Monday, completing 18 holes in the morning, and watching the sun go down as they finished their 36th hole of the day. In the second round of the Bulldog Clash, a DII event in Pawley's Island (SC), the Eagles shot 306, a six stroke improvement from the morning round, and a huge improvement from their showing here a year ago.
 
In the later round senior Jacob Sears got into a groove and led the way for the Eagles, shooting 72 (+2). When he double-bogeyed his fifth hole, a tough par-3, he was already five over par, but he played the rest of the way with three birdies versus two bogies to match the low round of the day for Bridgewater. 
 
Hayden Hawes was not pleased with his morning round, and in the afternoon he was already +7 through eleven holes, but he settled down late in the day, playing the final seven holes at even par. The junior birdied the par-5 10th hole which was stingy on Monday given its tucked pin location. He came in with a 77.
 
Perhaps experiencing a little letdown or fatigue after a solid first round, sophomore Max Bondurant was five over par through six holes in the afternoon, but like Hawes he rallied to come in with a 78. His 150 total matches Sears for the Bridgewater low ball.
 
Freshman Brandon Washburn had a couple double bogies early in the second round at Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, but he then had a stretch of six holes with three birdies. "Through twelve holes Brandon was just two over par and he was looking great," said head coach John Rogers, "but when he came to his thirteenth hole, I talked him into the wrong club -- I suggested too much stick because he came up short in the hazard in the morning, but this time he hit it over the green and ultimately made a triple bogey. Sometimes we coaches get it wrong, and this time it cost him." Despite another double bogey coming in, Washburn posted a 79, still a one-stroke improvement from the morning.
 
Jack Thome, making just the third start of his collegiate career, said he was leaking strokes during the round, and several times he hit very solid shots that ended up in trouble. He posted an 84 in the afternoon after dropping eight strokes on his last five holes.
 
Bridgewater, facing a strong field of DII teams, was in 21st place after the first round of the day (among 22 teams). In the afternoon they managed to beat three of the DII squads, but remained in 21st overall. Rogers said the big achievement of the day was that they improved upon last year's 36-hole marathon by 47 strokes, a huge leap.

"The guys did a good job preparing this week," he said. "At home they were focused in practice, and yesterday during the practice round they were very diligent about course management, and mapping out the course. We have a lot of work to do for this season and future seasons, but today was a satisfying step in the right direction."

The Eagles start off the final round of the Bulldog Clash at 8 am on Tuesday.