Tech Golfers up to 9th at Maui Jim Intercollegiate – Men’s Golf — Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Scottsdale, Ariz. – Bartley Forrester fired a 7-under-par 63 Saturday, and Connor Howe added a 3-under-par 67, enabling No. ¾ Georgia Tech to post a 13-under-par round of 267 and move up two spots to ninth place after 36 holes at the Maui Jim Intercollegiate.

Meanwhile, freshman Hiroshi Tai went 12-under-par in the 36-hole finish of the individual tournament at Desert Mountain and captured his first collegiate tournament victory in a playoff over Michael Mjaaseth of Arizona State.

After struggling on the front nine Friday at the 7,118-yard, par-70 Mirabel Golf Club, the Yellow Jackets scored 10-under-par Saturday over the same nine holes, which was their closing nine for round 2. They passed New Mexico and Wake Forest on the leaderboard and sit 16 shots behind Auburn, who leads the team race by two over Arizona State.

Tech, which won this event last September at 44-under-par, will begin its final round of the 54-hole tournament at 11:40 a.m. Eastern time Sunday.

TECH LINEUP – With four birdies and a bogey on his front nine and four birdies and no bogeys on his back nine, Forrester matched the low round of his career, which was posted at Mirabel in the third round of this event a year ago, and tied for the low round of the day. The senior from Gainesville, Ga., moved up to a tie for 20^th place at 5-under-par 135. Howe also played the second nine bogey free for his 67 and finished 36 holes at 8-under-par 132, tied for ninth place individually.

Ross Steelman, added a 1-under-par 69 Saturday to his opening 66 and also is tied for 20^th place at 5-under-par 135. Tech also counted a 2-under-par 68 from freshman Aidan Tran, and junior Christo Lamprecht shot 1-under-par 69.

Hiroshi Tai shot 12-under-par in the 36-hole finish to the individual event Saturday at Desert Mountain, and won the tournament in a playoff. (photo by Mike Holmes)

TEAM EVENT SUMMARY – Auburn maintained its lead by posting a 12-under-par 268 Saturday but saw it shrink to just two strokes after Arizona State shot 23-under-par 257. The Tigers have a 36-hole total of 526 (-34), while the Sun Devils finished the second round at 528 (-32).

Florida State shot 19-under-par Saturday and hold third place at 531 (-29), followed by Tennessee (533, -27) in fourth. San Diego State and Oregon are tied for fifth place at 538 (-22). Washington (540, -20), Arizona (541, -19), Georgia Tech (542, -18) and New Mexico (546, -14) round out the top 10 in the 18-team field.

With a 63, Tennessee’s…