Texas continues to go low at Vanderbilt Legends Club

   Texas, No. 2 in the latest Golfstat rankings, kept the pedal to the metal in opening up a 17-shot lead on Day 2 of an NCAA regional Tuesday at the Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin, Tenn.

   The Longhorns, the top seed in the region, actually backed off from their opening-round 268 with a 17-under 271, but withstood a remarkable day of scoring over the 7,190-yard, par-72 Vanderbilt Legends Club to remain comfortably on top at 37-under 539. Virginia, ranked 26^th, matched Texas’ 271 score for a 20-under 556 total that put the Cavaliers in second place.

   LSU, ranked 14^th, needed a 16-under 272 to move into third place at 16-under 560. Host Vanderbilt, ranked ninth, and No. 47 Kennesaw State are tied for fourth at 14-under 562. The Commodores had an 11-under 277 while Kennesaw State fired an 9-under 279.

   The Longhorns were led once again by Doug Ghim, a sophomore from Arlington Heights, Ill. who added a 3-under 69 to his opening-round 64 to get a share of the top spot in the individual standings at 11-under 133. He was joined at that number by James Madison’s Ryan Cole, a junior from Mt. Airy, Md. who fired an 8-under 64.

   The Longhorns’ Taylor Funk, a redshirt sophomore from Ponte Vedra, Fla. and the son of PGA Tour veteran Fred Funk, is tied for second at 10-under 134 after adding a 69 to his opening-round 65.

Texas also got a sparkling 8-under 64 from Beau Hossler, a junior from Mission Viejo, Calif. and a member of the U.S. Walker Cup team a year ago, that vaulted him into a tie for eighth at 7-under 137. Two other Longhorns – Scott Scheffler (69-70), a sophomore from Dallas, and Gavin Hall (70-69), a junior from Pittsford, N.Y. – are among a group tied for 11^th at 5-under 139.

   Rounding out the top five in the individual chase are two players tied with Texas’ Funk for third at 10-under 134. They are Houston’s Michael Perras, a sophomore from Deer Park, Texas, and Washington’s Carl Yuan, a freshman from Orlando, Fla. Like Funk, both Perras and Yuan added second-round 69s to opening-round 65s.

   Big East champion Georgetown improved by six shots with a 1-over 289, although the Hoyas fell back to 10^th at 8-over 584 and are probably wondering what golf course some of these other guys are playing.

   Sam Madsen, a sophomore from Madison, Wis., posted a solid 3-under 69 and is tied for 26^th at 2-under 142. Sophomore Cole Berman, the reigning BMW Philadelphia Amateur champion from Philadelphia Cricket Club, also had a nice day with a 2-under 70 and is tied for 40^th at 1-over 145.

Rounding out the Georgetown contingent were: Harrison Rhoades, a freshman from Raleigh, N.C. who had a 76 and is tied for 49^th at 147; Jack Musgrave, a sophomore from Chesterton, Ind. who a 74 and is tied for 63^rd at 150; and Kevin Jackson, a freshman from Atlanta who had a second straight 77 and is 72^nd.

   The top five teams and the top individual from a non-advancing team move on to the NCAA Championship, which tees off May 27 at Eugene Country Club in Eugene, Ore.

   In the regional at Blackwolf Run’s Meadow Valley Course in Kohler, Wis., Florida, ranked 16^th, maintained its lead, but No. 4 Illinois, the Big Ten champion and top seed in the region, made its move.

   The Gators added a 6-under 282 over the 7,123-yard, par-72 Meadow Valley Course to their opening-round 283 to hold down the top spot at 11-under 565. The Fighting Illini had a 5-under 283 and are in second place at 4-under 572.

   Florida’s in-state rival, No. 10 Florida State, is in third place at 2-under 575 following a 2-over 290, No. 21 Arkansas is fourth at even-par 576 after a 4-under 282 and unheralded Big Sky Conference champion Idaho held onto fifth place at 6-over 583 after a 299 round.

   Florida was led by Alejandro Tosti, a sophomore from Argentina who fired a 4-under 68 to take the lead in the individual standings at 6-under 138.

   Illinois’ two senior standouts, Charlie Danielson of Osceola, Wis. and Thomas Detry, a senior from Belgium, moved in lockstep up the leaderboard. Each carded a 3-under 69 to move into a tie for fourth at 2-under 142.

   Ohio State’s Tee-k Kelly, a senior from Wheaton, Ill. competing as individual, carded a second straight 70 to stand in second place at 4-under 140, two shots behind Tosti. Idaho’s Daniel Sutton, a sophomore from England, matched par with a 72 and is alone in third place at 3-under 141.

   Penn State, ranked 33^rd, added a 296 to its opening-round 294 and sits in 11^th place at 590.

   That Nittany Lions’ outstanding freshman Charles Huntzinger of Duluth, Ga. moved into the top 10, carding a 1-under 71 to join the group tied for 10^th at even-par 144.

   Sophomore Cole Miller, a former Northwestern Lehigh standout, and senior JD Dornes, a product of Manheim Township, are tied for 28^th at 2-over 146. Miller matched par with a 72 and Dornes carded a 1-over 73. Rounding out the Penn State contingent were Chris Houston, a senior from Gilford, N.H. who had an 80 and is tied for 69^th at 154, and Geoff Vartelas, a senior from Cromwell, Conn. who had an 85 and is 75^th at 167.

   The regional at Ol’ Colony Golf Complex in Tuscaloosa, Ala. turned into a Southeast Conference shootout.

   SEC champion Georgia, ranked fifth and the top seed in the region, maintained its hold on the top spot with a 6-under 282 that gives the Bulldogs a 10-under 566 total. South Carolina, ranked 17^th, remained in hot pursuit, matching Georgia’s 282 to sit in second place at 7-under 569.

   Kentucky, ranked 32^nd, is third at 1-under 575 after a 1-under 287, host Alabama, ranked 19^th, is fourth at even-par 576 after a 4-under 284 and No. 8 Auburn is fifth at 8-over 584 following a 2-over 290.

   Kentucky’s Tyler McDaniel, a sophomore from Manchester, Ky., fired a 5-under 67 over the 7,514-yard, par-71 Ol’ Colony layout to vault into a three-way tie for the lead in the individual chase at 5-under 139 with the Georgia duo of Zach Healy, a sophomore from Peachtree Corners, Ga., and Greyson Sigg, a junior from Augusta, Ga. Healy and Sigg each carded a 1-under 71.

   South Carolina was led by Matthew NeSmith, a senior from North Augusta, S.C. who carded a second straight 70 and is alone in fourth place at 4-under 140, and Keenan Huskey, a sophomore from Greenville, S.C. who posted a 4-under 68 and is one of four players tied for fifth at 3-under 141.

   Huskey was joined at that figure by Alabama’s Davis Riley, a freshman from Hattiesburg, Miss. who carded a 5-under 67, College of Charleston’s William Rainey, a junior from Charlotte, N.C. who had a 1-under 71, and Kentucky’s Lukas Euler, a freshman from Germany who signed for a 1-under 71.

   The regional at Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Okla. has turned into an all-Oklahoma affair.

Host Oklahoma State, ranked No. 6 and the top seed in the region, remained on top, adding a 3-over 291 to an opening-round 285 for an even-par 576 over the 7,418-yard, par-72 Karsten Creek layout that seems to be playing as tough as any of the regional tests. No. 18 Oklahoma is in second place at 12-over 588 following an 8-over 296.

   The next closest pursuer is No. 31 Purdue in third at 602 after a 299. Clemson, ranked seventh, moved into fourth with a 301 and a 609 total and No. 56 Louisville is fifth at 611 after a 311.

   Oklahoma State was led by Stratton Nolen, a sophomore from Austin, Texas who has share of the individual lead at 3-under 141 with Missouri-Kansas City’s Antoine Rozner, a senior from France. Nolen posted a 1-over 73 while Rozner carded a 1-under 71.

   Oklahoma State’s Kristoffer Ventura, a sophomore from Norway, is alone in third place at 1-under 143 after matching par with a 72.

   Oklahoma’s Max McGreevy, a junior from Edmond, Okla., and Brad Dalke, a freshman from Norman, Okla., are tied for fourth at even-par 144 after firing respective rounds of 71 and 72.

   Oklahoma State has the next two places with Jordan Niebrugge, a senior from Mequon, Wis., and Sam Stevens, a sophomore from Wichita, Kan., sitting sixth and seventh, respectively. Niebrugge had a 1-under 71 and is at 1-over 145 and Stevens carded a 3-over 75 and is at 3-over 147.

   In the regional at the University of New Mexico Championship Course in Albuquerque, N.M., Arizona State and its Pac-12 individual champion Jon Rahm, a senior from Spain, remained in charge.

   The No. 11 Sun Devils added a 296 to their opening-round 286 for a 6-over 582 total. TCU is 15 shots back at 597 after a round of 305.

   American Athletic Conference champion South Florida, ranked 15^th, fell back with a 311 and is third at 600, No. 4 Southern California, the top seed in the region, is fourth at 602 after a 311 and No. 27 Texas A&M is fifth at 603 after a round of 307.

   Rahm added a 1-under 71 to his opening-round 69 to take a four-shot lead in the individual standings at 4-under 140.

   Southern Cal’s Sean Crocker, a sophomore from Westlake Village, Calif., and TCU’s Ryan Books, a senior from Seattle, are tied for second at even-par 144 after each carded a 2-over 74.

   Arizona State’s Jared duToit, a junior from Canada,  is alone in fourth place at 1-over 145 after carding a 1-over 73.

   A couple of San Diego State players – Ryann Ree, a senior from Redondo Beach, Calif. and Gunn Yang, a sophomore from South Korea – are in a group of four players tied for fifth at 4-over 148. Ree had a 76 Tuesday and Yang was one better with a 75.

   They were joined at figure by South Florida’s Rigel Fernandes, a junior from Bradenton, Fla. who had a 79, and Texas Tech’s Hannes Ronneblad, a junior from Sweden who had a 75.

   In the regional at The Gallery at Dove Mountain in Marana, Ariz., No. 1 Stanford, the Pac-12 champion and top seed in the region, remained in command.

   The Cardinal, behind individual leader Franklin Huang, a sophomore from Poway, Calif., posted a 4-under 284 over the 7,258-yard, par-72 Gallery layout for an 18-under 558 total.

   Pac-12 rival Oregon, ranked 24^th, is in second place at 3-under 573, 15 shots behind Stanford, following an even-par 288. No. 27 Alabama-Birmingham is third at 2-under 574 after a 291, No. 36 North Florida is fourth at even-par 576 following a 5-under 283 and No. 13 California is fifth at 4-over 580 after a round of 293.

   Huang added a 3-under 69 to his opening-round 67 to stand alone atop the individual standings at 8-under 136.

   Two other Stanford players – junior Maverick McNealy, the reigning winner of both the Nicklaus and Haskins awards from Portola Valley, Calif., and David Brooke, a senior from England – are in the top five. McNealy is alone in fourth at 5-under 139 after a 1-under 71 and Brooke is one of three players tied for fifth at 3-under 141 after matching par with a 72.

   UAB’s Lee Hodges, a sophomore from Ekmont, Ala., and Oregon’s Thomas Lim, a junior from Moorpark, Calif., are tied for second, a shot back of Rahm at 7-under 137. Hodges fired a 5-under 67 while Lim carded a 4-under 68.

   Sharing fifth place with Stanford’s Boote at 3-under 141 are California’s K.K. Limbhasut, a sophomore from Loma Linda, Calif. who posted a 1-over 73, and California-Riverside’s Matt Lutz, a sophomore from Placentia, Calif. who had a 3-over 75.

   Wake Forest’s Kyle Sterbinsky, a freshman from Yardley and a Peddie School product, is tied for 23^rd at 2-over 146 after a second-round 75. The 12^th-ranked Demon Deacons are sitting in sixth place, just a shot back of California at 581.