Ben Johnson Assistant Coach | Northern Michigan University Athletics Website
Ben Johnson Assistant Coach | Northern Michigan University Athletics Website
The Northern Michigan University (NMU) men's golf team advanced one position in the second round of the Saddlebrook Spring Kickoff. They are now placed third among six teams with a two-round score of +62. Missouri S&T, ranked 18th, leads at +31 after improving their score by five strokes from the previous day. McKendree follows in second place with a score of +50.
Head coach Ben Johnson commented on the day's challenging conditions: "The strong wind and rainy conditions made play very difficult today," adding that adapting to such weather is part of the game, and he looks forward to a solid final round.
Despite adverse weather, the course recorded an average score of 81.87, slightly higher than yesterday's 81.49. The par-five 14th hole remained under par, averaging a score of 4.67.
After two rounds, NMU has tackled par-threes at +30 (3.63), ranks third on par-fours with an average of 4.65 (+86), and stands at +10 on par-fives (5.28). The team is also third in both birdies (21) and pars (96).
Walter Ylitalo performed notably well in his second round, rising six places to tie for eighth as an individual with a total score of +10 (152). He recorded three birdies during his round and is just one stroke behind the leader in both birdies and performance on par-fives.
Arthur Ylitalo and Russel Sprecher each shot rounds of 81 (+10), resulting in weekend totals of +17 and +18 respectively. Tyler Annala scored an 82 (+11), bringing his two-day total to +17. Levi Pennala dropped six spots after shooting a round of 90 (+19), placing him at 31st with a total score of +30 over two days.
Brady Badker improved by four positions after scoring an 83 (+12), finishing at 34th with a cumulative score of +34.
Individually competing Kyle Maki moved up three spots with his round of 84 (+13) to sit at 29th place with a total score of +28 over two days, while Joe Luke fell six positions following his round of 90 (+19), totaling +30.
Full results from today’s rounds along with live scoring for tomorrow's final round can be accessed online.
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