Men's Golf Climbs 10 Spots to 5th at NCAA Championship

Saturday, May 29

Scottsdale, Ariz. (Grayhawk GC)

All Day

North Carolina

NCAA Championship Day Two

May 29, 2021 | Men's Golf

NCAA 2nd Rd

Gerard and Fountain Shoot Second Round 68s

By: Steve Kirschner

Senior Ryan Gerard and freshman Peter Fountain shot 2-under-par 68s to lead the University of North Carolina to a 2-under second round at the 2021 NCAA Men's Golf Championship Saturday at the Grayhawk Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The Tar Heels moved up 10 spots today to a tie for fifth place in the team standings, the second-biggest move of the day (Vanderbilt climbed 13 spots to 10th). The top 15 teams after Sunday's third round advance to the fourth round of stroke play on Memorial Day. The top eight teams after Monday's round advance to match play.

The 68s by Raleigh natives Gerard and Fountain were Carolina's lowest individual scores in an NCAA Championship round since Barden Berry shot a 65 in the third round in 2007 in Williamsburg, Va.

Carolina, which shot 8-over 288 on Friday, shot 278 today and is 6-over 566 through two rounds. UNC's 278 on Saturday equaled the second-best round of the day. Oklahoma State, the No. 2 seed, had the best round of the day. The Cowboys were 6 under to move into the 36-hole lead at 6-under 554. UNC and Arizona State both shot 2 under and Oklahoma and Illinois were 1 under. They were the only five schools in the 30-team field to shoot under par for the second round.

Oklahoma State leads through two rounds at 6 under. Oklahoma is second at 1 under, Arizona State is third at 1 over, Pepperdine is fourth at 5 over, UNC and Illinois are tied for fifth at 6 over, Sam Houston State is seventh at 10 over and Clemson and Wake Forest are tied for eighth at 11 over.

It was Carolina's first time scoring under par as a team in a round in the NCAA Championship since shooting 1-under 287 in the second round in 2017 and its best score to par in an NCAA Championship round since a 2-under 282 in the first round of the 2002 Championship in Columbus, Ohio.

"Our guys took advantage of our early tee time today as we got off to a tremendous start when the wind was down," says UNC head coach Andrew DiBitetto. "As we made the turn, the wind kicked up a bit and was also swirling. Grayhawk is a very difficult golf course and our guys were really good.

"Each guy learned a lesson or two yesterday. Maybe it was choosing a slightly different target on a tee shot, understanding the grain on the greens or visualizing shots. Collectively, we learned our preparation and game plan are really good. All we had to do was be a bit more committed and fully trust our plan."

Gerard was even at the turn (UNC started on No. 10), then made consecutive birdies on the second and third holes and parred out to shoot 68, which matched his best round of the season. Gerard also shot 68 in the final round at Pinehurst No. 2 on March 2 and is even par through 36 holes at the NCAA Championship.

Fountain, the ACC champion, followed an opening-round 73 with four birdies and two bogeys for a 68, his team-leading 12th round of the season in the 60s. Fountain birdied the 11th and 16th holes, but made bogeys on two of the next three holes to drop to even par for the round. Fountain then made birdie on the 205-yard, par-3 fourth and his final hole of the day, the par-4 ninth, to finish 2 under. Fountain is 1-over 141 through 36 holes.

Fountain's 68 is the third-lowest score by a Tar Heel freshman in NCAA Championship play. Max Harris shot a 67 in 1997 and Rob Bradley carded a 67 in 1993.

Sophomore Austin Greaser bounced back from a season-worst 78 on Friday to shoot even-par 70 today. Fifth-year senior Austin Hitt shot 72 and junior Ryan Burnett, who led UNC with a first-round 70, shot 77.

Carolina is paired with Pepperdine and Illinois in the third round. They begin play on the 10th hole at 6:32 a.m. local time (9:32 Eastern Time).