East Lansing, Mich. – Junior Ashton McCulloch and senior August Meekhof are in first and second place overall, respectively, and Michigan State’s men’s golf team enters the final round of the Big Ten Championship just three shots off the lead.
The three-day, 54-hole tournament is being played on the par-70, 7,240-yard Scioto Country Club course in Columbus, Ohio, the first 18-hole course in central Ohio and the Club where golf’s greatest player, Jack Nicklaus, learned the game.
Michigan State entered the second round in second place and sat six shots off the lead of Northwestern, but the Spartans battled the strong winds and challenging Scioto Club course to post the best team round of the day – an 11-over par 291 – to narrow the gap heading into Sunday’s final round.
The Wildcats lead the field at 14-over par 574 (280-294), but the Spartans are just three shots off the pace, in second place at 17-over par 577 (286-291).
Illinois is in third place at 26-over par 586, with Ohio State in fourth place (28-over par 588) and Purdue rounds out the top-five teams (29-over par 589).
Michigan State’s tandem of McCulloch and Meekhof traded the lead back and forth over the second round of the tournament.
McCulloch entered the second round tied for eighth place, but fired a 1-under par 69 on Saturday, backed by five birdies. He enters Sunday’s final 18 holes at even-par 140 (71-69).
Meekhof had the individual lead entering the second round and shot a 4-over par 74 and played the back nine in even par after opening the front at 4-over par. He is in second place at 1-over par 141 (67-74).
Graduate Drew Hackett is tied for 13th place at 6-over par 146 (72-74). He posted three birdies on the front nine and was 1-over par and closed the back at 3-over par.
Graduate Bradley Smithson posted a 4-over par 74 on Saturday and made a big move for MSU, moving up 23 spots to tie for 27th place at 10-over par 150 (76-74).
Freshman Lorenzo Pinili shot a 10-over par 80 on Saturday and is in 68th place.
The Spartans will tee off in the final round on Sunday morning at 9:40 a.m. on the first hole, playing alongside Northwestern and Illinois.
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