Monday, April 22
Texarkana, Ark.
All Day
Rice University
vs
Conference USA Championship
Benson Holds Two Shot Lead Heading into Final Round of C-USA Championship
4/22/2019 8:29:00 PM | Men's Golf
Texarkana, Ark. — Sophomore Jake Benson is six-under par and holds a two-stroke lead over UTSA's Sean Meehan heading into the final round of the Air Force Reserve Conference USA Men's Golf Championship, played at the par par-72, 6,935-yard Texarkana Country Club.
Benson began the day with a two-under par 70. He backed it up by firing a four-under par 68, his fifth round in the 60's this year and the sixth of his career. The Nottingham, England native now has a team-leading 15 rounds of par of better this year and 23 in his career.
His 36-hole score of 138 tied a career-best. Both his 68 and 36-hole score of 138 tied the lowest for a Rice golfer in the Conference USA Championship since joining the league in 2005 with Mitchell Meissner last year.
Rice is nine-over par in seventh-place, four shots behind fourth-place Middle Tennessee. The Owls need to finish in the top four to advance to the semifinals of Match Play. UTSA leads the team competition at one-under par, four strokes in front of second-place WKU.
Freshman Austin Escamilla is tied for 12th-place at even par after carding consecutive rounds of 72. The pair of even par rounds give him six rounds of par or better on the season and his 36-hole score of 144 is a career-best.
Junior Nicholas Duggan is four-over par and tied for 27th-place. He opened the tournament with an even par 72 before posting a 76. The 72 is his eighth round of par or better this year and the 19th of his career.
Freshman Campbell Gibson is tied for 55th-place at 11-over par after round of 79 and 76 and freshman Harrison Hineline posted rounds of 79 and 81 to sit 16-over par in 63rd-place.
What Justin Emil Had to Say
"It was a long day playing 36 holes to try and beat the bad weather report for Wednesday and Thursday. The guys prepared well and hung in there on a tough setup. Austin (Escamilla) stepped up in a big way for us firing two even par rounds. Jake (Benson's) rounds really carried us. He is really playing well and his short game and putting was really good out there today. We had a great team meeting last night and will game plan again tonight to prepare for tomorrow."
Next Up
Stroke play concludes tomorrow with the final round beginning at 8 a.m. Rice will tee off beginning at 8 a.m. from hole No. 1 and will be paired with student-athletes from UTEP.
Benson began the day with a two-under par 70. He backed it up by firing a four-under par 68, his fifth round in the 60's this year and the sixth of his career. The Nottingham, England native now has a team-leading 15 rounds of par of better this year and 23 in his career.
His 36-hole score of 138 tied a career-best. Both his 68 and 36-hole score of 138 tied the lowest for a Rice golfer in the Conference USA Championship since joining the league in 2005 with Mitchell Meissner last year.
Rice is nine-over par in seventh-place, four shots behind fourth-place Middle Tennessee. The Owls need to finish in the top four to advance to the semifinals of Match Play. UTSA leads the team competition at one-under par, four strokes in front of second-place WKU.
Freshman Austin Escamilla is tied for 12th-place at even par after carding consecutive rounds of 72. The pair of even par rounds give him six rounds of par or better on the season and his 36-hole score of 144 is a career-best.
Junior Nicholas Duggan is four-over par and tied for 27th-place. He opened the tournament with an even par 72 before posting a 76. The 72 is his eighth round of par or better this year and the 19th of his career.
Freshman Campbell Gibson is tied for 55th-place at 11-over par after round of 79 and 76 and freshman Harrison Hineline posted rounds of 79 and 81 to sit 16-over par in 63rd-place.
What Justin Emil Had to Say
"It was a long day playing 36 holes to try and beat the bad weather report for Wednesday and Thursday. The guys prepared well and hung in there on a tough setup. Austin (Escamilla) stepped up in a big way for us firing two even par rounds. Jake (Benson's) rounds really carried us. He is really playing well and his short game and putting was really good out there today. We had a great team meeting last night and will game plan again tonight to prepare for tomorrow."
Next Up
Stroke play concludes tomorrow with the final round beginning at 8 a.m. Rice will tee off beginning at 8 a.m. from hole No. 1 and will be paired with student-athletes from UTEP.
Players Mentioned
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