Griffith Fires 36-Hole Record | Findlay in Second at Brickyard Invite
Indianapolis, Ind. – The University of Findlay men's golf team traveled west for their second week of competition this fall as they completed the first of two days at the Brickyard Invitational hosted by the University of Indianapolis on Monday, September 28. The event is taking place at Brickyard Crossing Golf Course which features four holes that are played inside the track of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
After 36 holes, Findlay is in a battle with familiar foe Indianapolis, trailing the Greyhounds by just three shots. Strong winds and rain impacted play in the morning as the Oilers would begin with an opening round 292 (+4), but as the weather improved, so did the Orange and Black. Findlay posted their third-best 18-hole round in school history, a 279 (-9) to finish the day at 571 (-5), tying the third-best 36-hole stretch in program history which was achieved just a week ago at the Doc Spragg Invitational.
Findlay featured four scores at even-par or better in their second round, but the headline of the day belongs to fifth-year senior, Sam Griffith, who posted the best 36-hole score in school history on Monday. Griffith began his day with an eagle on the 542-yard par-5 sixth hole and just two holes later, made birdie to go three under through three holes. He would finish his opening round with a 70 (-2) but in round two, kept his foot on the gas for all 18 holes.
Griffith birdied five of his first nine holes and was three-under through 14 and was five-under for the tournament. Needing to finish two-under in his final four holes to set a new school record for 36-holes, Griffith was all-systems-go, making birdies on the par-5 second and par-3 fourth to shoot 67 (-5) in the round and 137 (-7) for the day. Griffith's 67 (-5) is tied for the third-best 18-hole score at UF and is the third time in his career that the Findlay, Ohio native has been five-under in a round. He is currently tied for second in the tournament.
Following an impressive college debut last week in which he took third overall, freshman Justin Atkinson is currently tied for fifth after a 36-hole score of even-par (144). In rainy conditions, Atkinson was rock solid in his opening round posting a bogey-free round of 70 (-2). He would get loose down the home stretch, making bogey in three of his final four holes to card a 74 (+2) in the nightcap.
Junior Tanner Grzegorczyk put together a pair of solid rounds on Monday and is currently tied for ninth on the leaderboard at 145 (+1). Grzegorczyk set the tone with a birdie on his first hole of the day on his way to a first-round 73 (+1). He followed that up with a roller coaster round two, posting five birdies and five bogeys on his way to an even-par 72.
Findlay's other fifth-year senior Luke Kelly had back-and-forth day, firing a 79 (+7) to begin the day and following that up with a 69 (-3) that included a double-bogey on the final hole. Kelly ends his day with a 148 (+4) and is currently tied for 15th.
Earning his spot in the top five after a second-place finish last week, junior Caleb Westfall is tied for 32nd overall at 152 (+8). He struggled in his morning round, making three double-bogeys and three bogeys to shoot 81 (+9), but he rallied for four birdies in his nightcap en route to a second-round 71 (-1).
Findlay did send three individuals to the event, as well. Senior Parker Haynes is tied for 29th after rounds of 78 (+6) and 73 (+1) while freshman Donnie Professori is tied for 32nd after rounds of 77 (+5) and 75 (+3). Senior Brock Kehres had rounds of 81 (+9) and 72 (E) and is in a tie for 38th.
The Oilers, which ultimately surrendered a first-day lead to Indianapolis last week, will need to turn the tables on the Greyhounds if they hope to secure their first tournament win of the season. Trailing by just three shots, Tuesday's race to the finish is sure to be neck-and-neck.