Preston Leads Falcons To Second Place Perch In Muncie

Saturday, April 16

Muncie, IN

All Day

Bowling Green State University

Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational

April 17, 2011 | Men's Golf

By: by Matthew Daley, Athletic Communications Intern

DAY ONE RESULTS (.pdf)

The Bowling Green State University men's golf team struggled down the stretch in the first round on Saturday (April 16) at the Earl Yestingsmeier Invitationial. However, the Falcons redeemed themselves over the day's final 18 holes, and they enter the final round on Sunday in a tie for second place.

During the first 18 holes, junior Drew Preston fired three birdies and came away with the team's best score, a one-over-par 71.

For a while, it appeared that sophomore teammate Wes Gates would join Preston near the top of the leaderboard after one round. Gates birdied three of the first six holes and was tied with Preston with just two to play. However, Gates shot a six on the par-four 17th and bogeyed the 18th to finish with a 75.

Charlie Olson played the first 12 holes to the tune of six-over-par; however, his play settled over the final six holes, as he managed two birdies and two pars to finish at six-over.

The difficulty over the latter part of the first round bit junior Parker Hewit, as well. Hewit birdied his first two holes and was one-under after six. However, he shot a five on two par-threes and a seven on a par-four over a nine-hole span and ended the round with an 80.

Sophomore transfer Torey Brummett was much the same; he was even after shooting par on his first seven holes. He then double-bogeyed the tenth and struggled from there, sinking bogey putts on seven of his final nine holes.

The final member of the Falcons' squad, Bryan Mitchell, sank a birdie putt on his final hole of the first round but finished the first 18 holes at +11.

Overall, the team shot a 380 during the first round and managed a tie for ninth place. Note that, in this tournament, five scores from the six-person team count. Normally, teams are five players with the top four scores counted.

Second-round redemption was across the board for the Falcons.

Hewit had easily the best turnaround, improving by nine strokes over the second 18 holes. Hewit was +2 after the first half of the round, then birdied four of the next seven holes. He ended the round with a one-over-par 71 to tie Preston for the Falcons' best round of the day. His overall total of 151 (80-71) earns him a tie for 30th.

Not to be outdone, Gates matched the day's best round with the help of an impressive eagle chip-in on the par-four 11th. After two pars, he sank a birdie put on the par-three 14th and followed that with three more pars. Thanks to that stretch, Gates shot from the middle of the pack to a tie for fifth with 145 (74-71).

Preston nearly matched the second-round 71s posted by Gates and Hewit. He began the round with a birdie and shot par or better on 15 of the round's 18 holes. Preston's total of 143 (71-72) vaults him into sole possession of third place, just one stroke behind Tyler Merkle of Ball State. The Cardinals' Eric Steger is four strokes ahead as the tournament leader.

A fourth BGSU golfer -- Brummett -- improved his play from the first to the second round. Brummett earned a score of one-over-par through 15 holes and ended the round at five-over, an improvement of four strokes. He's tied for 45th with 154 (79-75).

Olson matched his first round score over the day's final 18 holes with a roller-coaster ride. He began the second frame with two birdies and four pars over the first six holes. He then bogeyed the next five holes before recovering with two consecutive birdies and two more pars. With three holes to go, he was one-over-par; however, Olson shot a seven on 17 and a six on 18 (both par-fours) to match his original 76. His score (152) is tied for 34th.

Bryan Mitchell completed his day with two birdies during the second round but carded a final tally of 83 for a day's total of 164.

The Falcons' total of 365 in the second round was tops among all 15 teams in the field. Only Austin Peay (368) was within even six strokes. That advantage allowed the team to rocket up the leaderboard, and they close the day in a tie for second place with Northern Illinois at 745 (380-365). Both teams trail leader Ball State by 19 strokes.

Ball State is hosting the tournament in Muncie, Ind. at the Delaware Country Club.

The final 18 holes of this 54-hole event will take place on Sunday. The shotgun start begins at 9:00 a.m. local time, and the Falcons will start between the first and fourth holes. BGSU will be paired with Ball State and Northern Illinois.

Bowling Green is searching for a repeat championship in the event, after winning the Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational in the fall of the 2009-2010 season.