Tyler Thurston leads a trio of C of I individuals in the top 10 of the CCC leaderboard.
Concordia Leads Tight Race at CCC Champs
CCC Results - Day 1
NAIA Region Results - Day 1
MONROE, Ore.—With Canadian powers Victoria and British Columbia battling for first in the NAIA Regional Championship, Concordia finished the first two rounds of play with a 12-stroke lead in the conference tournament as a mere 37 strokes separates the five league teams at the Cascade Collegiate Conference Men’s Golf Championships Presented by Diamond Woods.
The tournament is serving a dual purpose as the overall winner will earn an automatic bid into the NAIA National Championships held in Silvis, Ill., from May 18-21 as an NAIA regional champion.
Victoria (286-280—566), ranked No. 15 in the latest NAIA Poll, ended the day with an 18-stroke lead over rival UBC (294-290—584) who is ranked No. 22 in the NAIA.
Concordia (299-303—602) posted the CCC’s lone sub-300 score in the opening round and came back with a 303 for a 12-stroke advantage over The College of Idaho (312-302—614), who carded the league’s low score in the afternoon round of play.
The Coyotes will enter Tuesday’s final round with a five-stroke margin over Corban (314-305—619) and a seven-stroke gap over sixth-place Northwest Christian (312-309—621).
Warner Pacific (327-312—639) cut 15 strokes off its opening score with a 312 over the final 18 rounds to stay within striking distance.
Victoria twins Sam and James Holland claimed the top two spots on the overall leaderboard with Sam Holland (70-67—137) firing a 5-under 67 in the second round for a 7-under for the day and a four-stroke lead on the field. James Holland (70-71—141) finished with a single-stroke lead over Concordia’s Will Snow (70-72—142).
Snow, the 2009 CCC Championship medalist, holds a six stroke lead over a trio of conference chasers, including teammates Jed Dalton (75-73—148) and Jonny Miller (73-75—148). Northwest Christian’s Justin Ahrens (75-73—148) also fired a 148 to tie the CU duo for ninth place overall with one round remaining.
Joey Duwe (75-74—149), the holder of the CCC’s lowest scoring average for the year, sits in 13th place overall and fifth among CCC individuals, to lead Corban.
In a tie for 14th place overall and sixth in the CCC standings, Tyler Thurston (74-77—151) finished the day as College of Idaho’s top individual, one stroke ahead of fellow Coyote Jacob Reyes (78-74—152).
Cof I’s Kasey Allen (80-73—153) fired a 1-over for the second best round in the final 18 holes to tie Chris Dudley (77-76—153) of Corban for eighth in the CCC. In a tie for 10th place was NCU’s Brent McKee (78-77—155) and Warner Pacific’s top individual, Andrew Johnson (80-75—155).
The third and final round will be contested tomorrow - Tuesday, April 20th - beginning at 8 a.m. with a shot gun start.