PELLA, Iowa --- Significantly better conditions prevailed for the second round of the 2012 Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) Men's Golf Championships Saturday at Bos Landen Golf Club. Central extended its team lead to 19 strokes after posting four rounds in the 70s Saturday and totaling a 302 as a team.
Coe sits at 652 overall and leads a tight bunch. Luther is third at 654, Wartburg fourth at 657 and Buena Vista fifth at 658. Dubuque is in sixth at 667 followed by Loras in seventh at 672. Simpson (713) and Cornell (760) round out the team scoring.
Sixteen players shot in the 70s Saturday after no player was able to break 80 in a first round that concluded early Saturday morning.
Coe's Garrett Cross posted four birdies, including three on the back nine, en route to an even-par 71 and the low round of the day. Cross' 71 put him in a tie for the medalist lead with Central's Justin Livingston and Loras' Sam Herrmann at 12-over 154. Livingston, who completed his first round Saturday morning, entered round two tied for the lead at 80 and had a birdie and only three bogeys. Herrmann, playing in the final group of the day, had three birdies en route to a 1-over 72.
Luther's Tobias Kohl and Central's Matt Vegter sit one shot back at 13-over 153. Kohl finished 1-under on the back nine after a birdie-eagle start. Vegter, another day one co-leader, birdied the 13th and 16th holes en route to a 1-under 35 on the back nine. Wartburg's Lance Johnson is currently sixth, three shots back at 157, while Buena Vista's Mitch Brunick -- who also entered the second round tied for the lead -- is seventh at 158, followed by Luther's Aaron Smith in eighth at 160. Central's Brent Messmore, Coe's Tyler Gunderson and Dubuque's Eric Wolfe are all tied for ninth place at 161.
The championship concludes with 36 holes next weekend at Finkbine Golf Course in Iowa City. Friday's round begins at 11 a.m. with Loras, Simpson and Cornell teeing off in the first wave, followed by Wartburg, Buena Vista and Dubuque in the second wave, and Central, Coe and Luther in the final wave.
IOWA CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
At Pella, Iowa
(Bos Landen G.C., par 71)
SECOND ROUND SCORES
Teams -- 1. Central 331-302--633; 2. Coe 341-311--652; 3. Luther 343-311--654; 4. Wartburg 347-310--657; 5. Buena Vista 338-320--658; 6. Dubuque 349-318--667; 7. Loras 355-317--672; 8. Simpson 366-347--713; 9. Cornell 395-365--760
Top 5 individuals: 1. (tie) Garrett Cross (Coe), Justin Livingston (Central) and Sam Herrmann (Loras) 154; 4. (tie) Tobias Kohl (Luther) and Matt Vegter (Central), 155.
Buena Vista (658): Mitch Brunick 80-78--158; Kyle Auffert 85-79--164; Jaron Smool 85-80--165; Andrew Zinn 91-83--174; Troy Ticknor 88-88--176.
Central (633): Justin Livingston 80-74--154; Matt Vegter 80-75--155; Brent Messmore 84-77--161; Brent Goodenow 90-76--166; Tyler Woodruff 87-86--173.
Coe (652): Garrett Cross 83-71--154; Tyler Gunderson 83-78--161; Derek Nicholson 85-84--169; Mitch Moon 90-80--170; Austin Pflughaupt 92-82--174.
Cornell (760): Tanner Baldwin 88-81--166; Dominic Rosati 90-82--172; Mark Wyzgowski 106-105--211; Chase Johnson 114-98--212; Ryan Roberts 115-104--219.
Dubuque (667): Eric Wolfe 89-72--161; Martin Odegard 83-80--163; Mitch Sobotta 92-80--172; Chris Kerr 85-88--173; Kirk Kepley 95-86--181.
Loras (672): Sam Herrmann 82-72--154; Drew Massey 89-84--173; James Komorowski 94-81--175; Alex Beck 96-80--176; Bubba Carter 90-92--182.
Luther (654): Aaron Smith 88-72--160; Tobias Kohl 83-72--155; Matt Axelrod 86-82--168; Jack McLeod 86-85--171; Joel Bruns 91-89--180.
Simpson (713): Andy Hutchins 90-83--173; Zach Hale 95-84--179; Joe Hupp 89-90--179; Conner Juilfs 92-90--182; Matt Haley 98-94--192.
Wartburg (657): Lance Johnson 81-76--157; John Sexton 84-79--163; Matt Kristensen 92-76--168; Dominick Smith 90-83--173; Nate Meisinger 98-79--177.
Note: The championship will conclude with 36 holes May 4-5 at Finkbine G.C. in Iowa City.
