By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS, Fla. -- Willamette University's Austin Davis (Sr., Culver City, CA/Culver City HS) shot a 1-over par 73 in the second round of the 2022 NCAA Division III Golf Championship on Wednesday, May 11 and advanced into the final two rounds of the tournament at the Mission Inn Resort and Club. He played on the El Campeon course (par 72) on Wednesday and ended the second round in a five-way tie for eighth place at 2-over par 145, just four strokes off the lead. Davis shot a 1-over par 72 on the Las Colinas course (par 71) on Tuesday.
The NCAA Championship began with 43 teams and six additional individuals on Tuesday. Only 18 teams and six individual golfers will compete in the final two rounds at El Campeon on Thursday, May 12 and Friday, May 13. Willamette narrowly missed the cut for the final two rounds in the team competition by just one stroke despite tying for the 12th-best second round in relation to par on Wednesday. Willamette tied with Greensboro College (N.C.) for 19th place at 618 for 36 holes. The Bearcats carded rounds of 311 and 307, while Greensboro shot 301 and 317.
Davis is one of six golfers not on one of the 18 teams that advanced who will continue to compete for the individual NCAA Division III individual national title. In addition to being just four strokes out of first place, he is only two strokes out of fourth place and three strokes out of second. Davis is scheduled to start the third round on the first hole of the El Campeon course at 9:30 a.m. (EDT)/6:30 a.m. (PDT).
Also competing for Willamette in the first two rounds were Alex Weirth (Sr., Port Orchard, WA/Crosspoint Academy), Paxton Jones (Fy., Wellington, NZ/Scots College), Andrew Kibbee (Sr., Kenmore, WA/Bothell HS) and Riley Lankford (Sr., Pilot Rock, OR/Pilot Rock HS).
Weirth finished tied for 80th out of 221 golfers with a 36-hole score of 156 on back-to-back rounds of 78. Jones tied for 96th after shooting 158 with an 81 in the first round and a 77 in the second round. Kibbee shot 159 on rounds of 80 and 79. Lankford carded an overall score of 160 with rounds of 81 and 79.
The battle for the last few team berths into the final two rounds of the tournament went down to the last few holes on Wednesday. Willamette made a great charge from shooting 27-over in the first round to shooting 19-over in the second round, as the Bearcats moved up from 23rd into the tie for 19th. Willamette recorded four birdies, five pars, and one bogey over the final two holes to complete the rally.
Greensboro slipped from 13th in the first round into the tie for 19th. Oglethorpe University (Ga.) earned the final spot in the third round by finishing the second round in 18th place at 617. Franklin and Marshall College (Pa.) was 17th at 616.
Methodist led the team standings through 36 holes at 581 (292-289). The Monarchs held a six-stroke advantage. Carnegie Mellon was second at 587 (289-299) and Hampden-Sydney was third at 589 (296-293). Huntingdon followed in fourth place at 593 (287-306), while Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Calif.) and Washington and Lee were tied for fifth place at 598. CMS carded rounds of 295 and 301. W&L shot 300 and 298. Emory University (Ga.) was seventh with a score of 599 (296-303).
In the individual standings, Henry Angier of Methodist University ended the second round in first place at 141. He was tied for seventh at 72 to begin the day, but tied for the low round so far with a 69 on Wednesday.
Nick Rubino of Hampden-Sydney College (Va.) and Grant Gronka of Huntingdon College (Ala.) were tied for second place overall at 142, as Rubino carded 71-71 and Gronka shot 69-73. Fourth place was shared by Andrew Chi of Methodist and Austin Sharrett from Washington & Lee University (Va.) at 143, with both golfers shooting 73-70. Tied for sixth place were Scott Boyajian of Aurora University (Ill.) and Jackson Rothwell of Babson College (Mass.) at 144. Boyajian carded 75-69 and Rothwell shot 72-72.
Davis (72-73) was joined in the tie for eighth place at 145 by Will Hocker of Webster University (Mo.), JF Aber of Wittenberg University (Ohio), Cooper Hrabak from Methodist, and William Knauth of Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.). Hocker carded 71-74, while Aber and Hrabak each shot 70-75, and Knauth registered 69-76. Knauth was the individual leader entering the second round.
