Photo by: UT Martin Sports Information
MORE HISTORY MADE AS UT MARTIN GOLF AND ISBELL EACH RANK SECOND GOING INTO FINAL DAY OF SIUE DOLENC INVITATIONAL
9/25/2023 8:37:00 PM | Golf
MADISON, Ill. – The first 18 holes of the SIUE Dolenc Invitational provided a memorable round for the University of Tennessee at Martin golf team as the Skyhawks are in prime position to claim its second straight tournament championship after yet another record-setting performance.
UT Martin carded a remarkable 266 (-18) as a team in Round 1, which was three strokes better than the previous record holder for lowest score in the 12-year history of the tournament. That score also was the best team round in the Skyhawks' NCAA Division I history (since 1992) – besting the 273 set at the Murray State Invitational on Sept. 10, 2019.
Not only did UT Martin find immense team success but a pair of Skyhawks tied the SIUE Dolenc Invitational record for lowest individual score. Dax Isbell and Ethan Ray each posted a 65 (-6) in Round 1, which tied four other golfers – including UT Martin's Ben Reeves in 2015 – for the best score in tournament history.
The Skyhawks shot even-par (284) in Round 2 and enters tomorrow's final round in second place in the 16-team standings with a 550 (-18). UT Martin trails tournament host SIUE (544, -24) by six strokes while Isbell (133, -9) is in second place and three shots behind SIUE's Anthony Ruthey (130, -12) at the top of the individual leaderboard.
Round 1 featured 20 birdies and three eagles from the Skyhawks' scoring five. Isbell and Ray each had five birdies and an eagle against just one bogey apiece to tie for the tournament lead through 18 holes. Jacob Uehlein was only one shot behind as he collected five birdies and 13 pars for a clean scorecard of 66 (-5). Jonathan Xoinis became UT Martin's fourth scorer to shoot under par as the reigning OVC Golfer of the Week tapped in five birdies on the way to a 70 (-1). Grant Phillips was the Skyhawks' fifth member of the scoring lineup as the freshman accounted for an eagle on the way to a 74 (+3).
Phillips responded in Round 2 with a phenomenal score of 67 (-4), reeling off six birdies to lead all UT Martin scorers. Coming in right behind was Isbell (four birdies, one eagle), who played his final 12 holes at 5-under par to end with a 68 (-3). Uehlein's 73 included one birdie and 14 pars while Xoinis pieced together all four of his birdies during a nine-hole stretch before finishing with a 76. Ray was responsible for a pair of birdies in Round 2 on the way to a 77.
Two Skyhawks are also taking part in the 92-man field as individuals. Bryson Morrell accumulated seven birdies while shooting an even-par 71 in both rounds today while Luke Caldwell (five birdies) followed a 74 this morning with a 72 during the afternoon round.
In the player standings, Uehlein ranks 15th with a 139 (-3) and is followed by Phillips (141, -1), Ray (142, E), Morrell (142, E), Xoinis (146, +4) and Caldwell (146, +4).
As a team, UT Martin led the field with four eagles in the first 36 holes. Isbell paces the entire tournament in par-5 scoring (4.25, -6) and eagles (two) while ranking fourth in par-4 scoring (3.78, -4) to go along with a co-team-high of nine birdies (sharing the team lead with Xoinis). Morrell ranks fourth in the field in par-3 scoring (2.90, -1) and Uehlein has jotted down the fourth-most pars (27) in the tournament.
The final round at Gateway National is set for 8:15 a.m. tomorrow as the Skyhawks' scoring five will be paired up alongside Ohio Valley Conference rivals SIUE and Southern Indiana (-10) plus Weber State (-9) on Holes No. 1-4. UT Martin's individuals will tee off Holes No. 17 and No. 18.
UT Martin carded a remarkable 266 (-18) as a team in Round 1, which was three strokes better than the previous record holder for lowest score in the 12-year history of the tournament. That score also was the best team round in the Skyhawks' NCAA Division I history (since 1992) – besting the 273 set at the Murray State Invitational on Sept. 10, 2019.
Not only did UT Martin find immense team success but a pair of Skyhawks tied the SIUE Dolenc Invitational record for lowest individual score. Dax Isbell and Ethan Ray each posted a 65 (-6) in Round 1, which tied four other golfers – including UT Martin's Ben Reeves in 2015 – for the best score in tournament history.
The Skyhawks shot even-par (284) in Round 2 and enters tomorrow's final round in second place in the 16-team standings with a 550 (-18). UT Martin trails tournament host SIUE (544, -24) by six strokes while Isbell (133, -9) is in second place and three shots behind SIUE's Anthony Ruthey (130, -12) at the top of the individual leaderboard.
Round 1 featured 20 birdies and three eagles from the Skyhawks' scoring five. Isbell and Ray each had five birdies and an eagle against just one bogey apiece to tie for the tournament lead through 18 holes. Jacob Uehlein was only one shot behind as he collected five birdies and 13 pars for a clean scorecard of 66 (-5). Jonathan Xoinis became UT Martin's fourth scorer to shoot under par as the reigning OVC Golfer of the Week tapped in five birdies on the way to a 70 (-1). Grant Phillips was the Skyhawks' fifth member of the scoring lineup as the freshman accounted for an eagle on the way to a 74 (+3).
Phillips responded in Round 2 with a phenomenal score of 67 (-4), reeling off six birdies to lead all UT Martin scorers. Coming in right behind was Isbell (four birdies, one eagle), who played his final 12 holes at 5-under par to end with a 68 (-3). Uehlein's 73 included one birdie and 14 pars while Xoinis pieced together all four of his birdies during a nine-hole stretch before finishing with a 76. Ray was responsible for a pair of birdies in Round 2 on the way to a 77.
Two Skyhawks are also taking part in the 92-man field as individuals. Bryson Morrell accumulated seven birdies while shooting an even-par 71 in both rounds today while Luke Caldwell (five birdies) followed a 74 this morning with a 72 during the afternoon round.
In the player standings, Uehlein ranks 15th with a 139 (-3) and is followed by Phillips (141, -1), Ray (142, E), Morrell (142, E), Xoinis (146, +4) and Caldwell (146, +4).
As a team, UT Martin led the field with four eagles in the first 36 holes. Isbell paces the entire tournament in par-5 scoring (4.25, -6) and eagles (two) while ranking fourth in par-4 scoring (3.78, -4) to go along with a co-team-high of nine birdies (sharing the team lead with Xoinis). Morrell ranks fourth in the field in par-3 scoring (2.90, -1) and Uehlein has jotted down the fourth-most pars (27) in the tournament.
The final round at Gateway National is set for 8:15 a.m. tomorrow as the Skyhawks' scoring five will be paired up alongside Ohio Valley Conference rivals SIUE and Southern Indiana (-10) plus Weber State (-9) on Holes No. 1-4. UT Martin's individuals will tee off Holes No. 17 and No. 18.
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