April 10, 2010

Kepler Intercollegiate 36-hole Results (PDF Format)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Northwestern junior David Lipsky (La Canada, Calif./La Canada) tied the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate tournament record for low single-round score with a 4-under 67 during Saturday's second 18 holes, placing himself in second place individually in the field and leading the Wildcats to third place in the standings entering Sunday's final round.

Lipsky has a 36-hole total of 4-under 138 (71-67), which breaks the previous tournament record for a 36-hole score of 139 set by Ohio State's Joey Sindelar (1981) and Craig Matthew (1997) along with Purdue's Lee Williamson (2002). Lipsky is one shot behind Penn State's Kevin Foley, who also broke those records, in the 2010 individual standings.

Lipsky did not make a single bogey during his second round, carding 14 pars and four birdies. His birdies came on Nos. 4, 10, 12 and 17, which is a massive 221-yard par 3. The 67 is the first shot in the tournament at Ohio State's Scarlet Course since a redesign made it a 7,451-yard, par-71 layout in 2005-06. It is Lipsky's sixth round in the 60s this season, his second 67 of the year and the fourth 67 of his career.

Lipsky's 4-under par round also matches the lowest second-round score in relation to par in Kepler history, previously achieved by six different competitors, most recently in 2002 by Williamson and Indiana's Jeff Overton.

As a team, Northwestern is in third place at 12-over 580 after firing identical totals of 6-over 290 in very different ways. In the first round, Lipsky shot an even-par 71 while all four of his teammates carded totals of 2-over 73. In the second round, Lipsky made his 4-under 67 to balance out some higher scores from the other 'Cats. As a team, though, Northwestern played very consistent golf Saturday, making just one double-bogey or worse all day.

The Wildcats are five shots in front of No. 49 Kent State in fourth place while sitting five shots behind co-leaders Eastern Michigan and Penn State.

Senior Jonathan Bowers (Columbus, Ohio/Bishop Watterson) also is in the top-10 individually alongside Lipsky, placing 10th at 3-over 145 (73-72). He played his first nine holes of the day in 3-over par with three bogies before coming home in 1-under on the backside for an opening 2-over 73. He reversed the trend in his second loop, carding a 1-under 35 on the front before playing the back in 2-over par fashion for a 1-over 72.

Junior Josh Dupont (Poway, Calif./Cathedral Catholic) had an eventful Saturday, finishing up in 23rd place at 6-over 148 (73-75). Two bogies and two birdies on his opening nine left him at even-par at the turn before he made three bogies on the back side. A birdie on the par-4 18th hole brought him back down to a 2-over 73. In his second round, Dupont made seven bogies against three birdies for a 4-over 75.

One stroke behind Dupont individually are both Sam Chien (San Diego, Calif./Mt. Carmel) and Eric Chun (Ansung City, South Korea/International Christian School), who had identical 73-76 days to finish the first 36 holes in a tie for 29th at 7-over 149. Chun had a similar day to Dupont, eventually getting to 4-over par through his first 12 holes, but back-to-back birdies on Nos. 17 and 18 gave him an opening score of 2-over 73. He then had seven bogies and two birdies in the afternoon for a 5-over 76 to leave him at 7-over 149 (73-76) for the tourney.

Chun's first round featured six bogies and four birdies, while his second combined seven bogies with two birdies. Chun, like his teammates, was able to avoid big numbers on the day to keep his scores under control and himself in the top 30 despite making 13 bogies in two rounds.

The final round of the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate begins with tee times at 7:30 a.m. CT tomorrow, Sunday, April 11.