ETSU fires a 4-under, but loses ground

KAUAI, Hawaii (Nov. 5, 2013) – Freshman Mateusz Gradecki (Oborniki Śląskie, Poland) fired a 3-under 69 and led the ETSU men’s golf team in the second of the Warrior Princeville Makai Invitational on Tuesday from the Makai Golf Club at Princeville.

Gradecki began the day tied for 21st, but climbed nine spots up the leaderboard and sits in a six-way for 12th at 5-under 139. The Buccaneer rookie got off to a hot start by carding birdies on three of his first five holes, while also picking up another birdie on the par-4, No. 8; however, Gradecki ended the front nine with a double-bogey on the par-4, 9th, moving his score to 1-under. Fortunately, Gradecki picked up steam on the back nine as he posted three birdies and a bogey to finish with the 69, tying his lowest collegiate score in his young Buccaneer career.  

However, as Gradecki was pacing the Blue and Gold, No. 41 ETSU shot a 4-under 284, but lost ground on the leaders. ETSU entered the round in fifth, but dropped into a tie for seventh with MTSU at 12-under 564.

Cal State Fullerton kept its lead atop the board by registering a 14-under 274 on Tuesday and the Titans hold a four-stroke lead over Louisville and are five shots ahead of Mississippi State. The Titans are 30-under-par 546 thru the first two rounds of competition.

On the individual board, Fullerton’s Mark Anguiano caught Mississippi State’s Chad Ramey, and both golfers hold a share of the lead at 13-under 131. Anguiano posted a 6-under 66 in the second round, while Ramey followed up his 63 with a 4-under 68.

Other ETSU notables include junior Rhys Pugh (Pontypridd, Wales) and sophomore Adrian Meronk (Wroclaw, Poland) as they are both tied for 25th at 3-under 141. Meronk, who led the Bucs on Monday with a 3-under 69, shot an even-par 72, while Pugh totaled a 1-under 71 in round two. Unfortunately, both golfers couldn’t carry their strong starts over to the back nine and make a move up the leaderboard. Pugh was three under thru nine after recording an eagle on the par-5, No. 5 and a birdie on the par-4, 8th, but despite having a pair of birdies on the back nine, the Welshman lost four strokes by posting two double-bogeys in his final eight holes. Likewise, Meronk was also 3-under thru nine, but the ETSU sophomore bogeyed three holes on the back to finish with his 72.

The Bucs conclude the tournament and their fall season on Wednesday as ETSU tees off at 1 p.m. (Eastern). Live scoring can be accessed via GolfStat.com.

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For more information on Buccaneer men’s golf, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the men’s golf page.