PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. – Washington State Men’s Golf holds a two-stroke lead after firing a 17-under, 271 Monday during second-round play at the 2023 Golfweek Fall Challenge. The event is being played at the par 72, 7005-yard True Blue Golf Club. The Cougars enter Wednesday’s final round at 33-under par, two strokes ahead of both Western Carolina and first-day leader Loyola Marymount.
For the second-straight day, WSU was led by fifth-year senior Pono Yanagi, whose 6-under 66 matched his opening-round score. Yanagi began his round with four birdies on his first five holes and made the turn at 5-under. On the back, he erased his lone bogey of the tournament at 13 with a birdie at 18 to finish his first two rounds at 12-under, 132, two shots behind leader Thomas Schmidt of Arkansas State.
Sophomore Sam Renner followed up his opening-round 68 with a five-under, 67, sitting tied for seventh overall at 9-under. After making the turn at 3-under, Renner dropped a stroke at 11 before posting three-straight birdies on 13, 14 and 15 to finish with seven birdies on his round. Senior Nate Plaster also had a strong showing Monday. After opening his round with a bogey, Plaster fired birdies on six of his next eight holes to make the turn at 5-under. A birdie on 18 closed out his round at 4-under par, 68, as his two-day score of 6-under is tied for 14th.
Redshirt-freshman Ben Borgida completed his first round under par as a Coug with a 2-under 70, which included three birdies. Borgida birdies two holes on the front, and after his lone bogey on the day, birdied 18 to conclude the first two rounds at 1-over, 145, tied for 55th. Senior Preston Bebich had three birdies and three bogeys on his round to finish Day 2 with an even-par 72. Bebich, who shot a 4-under 68 Sunday, sits tied for 22nd at -4, 140.
The Cougars continue to take advantage of the par 5 holes with a stroke average of 4.60 and a cumulative 20-under par. Renner is 7-under on those holes while Yanagi is at 6-under.
Final-round action at the Golfweek Fall Challenge begins Tuesday at 6 a.m. PT. The Cougars will play alongside Western Carolina and Loyola Marymount.
…..
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Washington State University Athletics…