Cougars Jump Seven Spots During Round 2 at Oregon State Invitational

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Sophomore Sam Renner completed his first 36 holes at 3-under-par, 139, and sits in third place following the first day at the 2023 Oregon State Invitational Monday, played at the par 71, 7,384-yard Trysting Tree Golf Club.
 
As a team, the Cougars rebounded after a 7-over, 291 in the first round to fire an even-par 284 in the second, moving up seven spots on the leaderboard to finish in third after 36 holes. WSU, which posted a tournament-best 125 pars on the first day, is 13 strokes behind first-day leader and host Oregon State, and five behind Arkansas State in second.
 
Renner was solid all day, shooting 2-under 69 in the morning, which included five birdies, before posting a 1-under 70 in the afternoon. His second 18 holes began with 10-straight pars before finishing the back nine with three birdies and two bogeys for a 1-under 70.
 
Senior Preston Bebich started his day slow, going 4-over in a birdie-free morning round. His second 18 holes included one birdie and 17 pars as he finished Monday tied for 22nd at 3-over, 145. Bebich’s 32 pars leads the field following 36 holes. Tied with Bebich is senior Drayton Joseph, who is playing his first team event of the season. Drayton began his day with a 3-over, 74, a round that featured just one birdie. He found his groove on the second 18, mixing four birdies with four bogeys en route to an even-par, 71, to finish Monday at 3-over, 145, tied for 22nd.
 
Fifth-year senior Pono Yanagi opened his tournament with a 2-over, 73, and matched that score in the afternoon to finish the day at 4-over, 146, tied for 32nd. Senior Jaden Cantafio posted a 5-over 76 in the morning 18 before coming back in the afternoon to shoot 75, giving him a first-day score of 9-over, 151, tied for 66th overall.
 
WSU had two players competing as individuals at Trysting Tree, as redshirt freshman Ben Borgida began the day with a 5-over 77, before coming back strong in the afternoon, shooting a bogey-free 67, which included four birdies. Borgida has a two-round total of 2-over, 144, and sits tied for 17th overall. Junior Franklin Lydra shot rounds of 75-77 for a first-day total of 10-over, 152, tied for 73rd.
 
The final 18 holes at the Oregon State Invitational begins 8:30 a.m.