May 16, 2008

IRVING, Texas - UAB junior Zach Sucher birdied seven of his last nine holes as he scorched the Council Fire Golf Club course with a final nine score of 28 en route to a new school and course record nine-under par 62 during Friday's second round of the 2008 NCAA East Regional.

As a result, the Blazers, who finished their second round with a 10-under par, vaulted into the top 10 with a two-round total of seven-under par 561 (287-274). The top 10 teams from this regional will advance to the NCAA National Championship, scheduled for May 28-31 at the Birck Golf Complex in West Lafayette, Ind.

Sucher's score also was the second-best score ever recorded for a single round at an NCAA Championship event. Sucher tied Stanford's Notah Begay (1994) for the second-best round. Duke's Michael Schachner broke the record last year with a third-round 60 at the NCAA Championship at Williamsburg, Va.

Sucher, who currently holds a two-shot lead over Georgia's Hudson Swafford in the individual standings with an 11-under par 131 (69-62), finished the front nine at two-under par following his only bogey of the day on the par 4 ninth hole.

Following that hole, the Mobile, Ala. native turned his game up a notch. He began the back nine by recording five consecutive birdies. Following a par on the 15th hole, Sucher reeled off two more birdies before ending his round with a par on the 499-yard par-4 18th hole.

Not only did Sucher record the best round of his career, but his 62 also tied the single-round school record (set by Garrett Osborn at the 2005 Jerry Pate Intercollegiate). He also matched the course record in a competitive tournament, set by PGA pro Ed Dougherty who shot a 62 during the second round of the 1992 Chattanooga Classic.

Senior Brad Smith recorded a one-under par 70 on Friday and is in a tie for 53rd overall at one-over par 143. After carding a one-over on the front nine, the Adelaide, Australia native had two birdies and no bogeys on the back nine to finish below par for the first time in the event.

Senior Kyle Sapp is at five-over par 147 following his one-over par 72 on Friday, while junior Mike Oimoen shot even par 71 on the day to remain at seven over par for the tournament (149).

SMU
A day after carding a blistering 276, the SMU men's golf team had a tough second day at the 2008 NCAA Men's Golf East Regional at the par 71 Council Fire Golf Club, as a second-round 295 saw the Mustangs slip from third to 14th.

Kelly Kraft was the lone `Stang to shoot par on Friday, carding a 71. He is tied for 11th at 5-under 137. James Minahan (149/T113th) did rebound nicely over the second 18, shooting a 73 after Thursday's 76. Ben Tewes (144/T64th), Scott Barton (147/T89th) and Dan Kleckner (148/T102nd) rounded out the SMU squad.

MEMPHIS
Memphis shot seven- over par as a team in the second round of the NCAA East Regional on Friday. The tournament is being held at the Council Fire Golf Club in Chattanooga.

Seniors Ian Rochester and Robbie Greenwell paced the Tigers in round two, each firing an even-par 71 Sophomore Brandon Bunn shot a three-over 74 and junior Brad Benjamin shot a four-over 75. Greenwell leads the squad with a two-day total of one-over par. Benjamin and Rochester are each four-over and Bunn is currently five-over. The Tigers are 12-over as a team and in 22nd place overall.

UCF

No. 25 UCF posted a score of 302 (+14) and has a 36-hole total of 603 (+27) after two rounds of play at the NCAA West Regional at the Gold Mountain Golf Club. The Knights are in 18th place in the team race with 18 holes left to play in the 54-hole tournament on Saturday.

Junior Greg Forest carded his lowest career round in NCAA regional play with a 73 (+1) on Friday to lead the Knights in their second 18 holes of the tournament. For Forest, who is tied for 35th, it was his fifth regional round of his career and an improvement of two strokes from his opening round on the 7,111-yard layout.The top two individuals on non-advancing teams make the NCAA Championship field.

Sophomore Mike Stern also improved his score by a stroke, posting a 75 (+3). Stern made a pair of birdies on his front nine and has a two-day total of 151 (+7).

Senior Giwon Suh led the Knights with four birdies on his second round to post a 76 (+4). Suh is in 51st place with a two-round total of 150 (+6), while Stern is tied for 65th (151, +7).

Freshman Kyle Cobb had his 78 (+6) count towards the team score. Cobb had three birdies on his opening nine as the team finished with 10 on the day.

The Knights will tee off with California and North Carolina in the final round with Cobb leading UCF with a 3:12 ET tee time.

Live stats for all the regionals can be found at www.golfstat.com. The third and final rounds will tee off on Saturday.