West Point, Miss. – Led by freshman Jonathan Grey's 1-under performance, Georgia State stands ninth at the Old Waverly Collegiate Championship following 36 holes of action on Monday at Old Waverly Golf Club. After a morning 1-over 289, the Panthers struggled in the afternoon, shooting 307 to stand in ninth entering Tuesday's final round.
Grey opened the day with an impressive 3-under, 69, making six birdies. In the afternoon, he shot a 2-over 74, making four birdies. Grey is looking for his eighth top 20 performance this season just days after being named Sun Belt Conference Golfer of the Month for March, his second honor of the year.
The freshman is still within striking distance for his fourth title of the year, standing five strokes back of Cincinnati's Emerson Newsome. Grey overcame a five-stroke deficit at the Brickyard Collegiate to share medalist honors in Macon.
“I thought we played well in the morning, then we really struggled in the afternoon,” commented head coach Joe Inman. “We gave too many strokes away in the second round and that is what disappoints me. We were in contention after the first round, but gave it away. We need to finish strong tomorrow and hopefully that can give us some momentum heading into the conference championship.”
Junior Tyler Gruca is in a tie for 38th following rounds of 73 and 78 to stand at 7-over. Gruca made three birdies in the opening round, but could not put up any red numbers in the second.
Sophomores Davin White and Damon Stephenson are tied for 42nd at 8-over. White shot rounds of 74 and 78 on the opening day, while Stephenson went 73-79. Stephenson made four birdies in his opening round.
Junior Grant Cagle shot identical 77's to stand at 10-over with 18 holes to play.
No. 28 Mississippi State leads at 1-under following rounds of 287 and 288. The Bulldogs lead UAB by one stroke as the Blazers stand even par following rounds of 286 and 290. No. 48 South Alabama is third at 6-over, followed by Southern Miss in fourth at 13-over. SE Louisiana rounded out the top five and stand 14-over.
The Panthers are just six strokes outside of the top five.
Following Newsome, UAB's Wilson McDonald and Thomas Sutton stand tied for second at 4-under to stand just two strokes off the lead. Mississippi State's Axel Boasson, Southern Miss' Zach Estep and SE Louisiana's Rhys West are tied for fourth at 2-under.
Following the event, Georgia State will start preparations for its inaugural Sun Belt Conference Championship in Muscle Shoals, Ala., April 22-24. A conference championship victory would automatically send the Panthers back to the NCAA Regionals.
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