KOHALA COAST, Hawai'i – Texas Tech claimed a Day Two best score of -21 to slip past first day leader Arizona State, taking a one-shot lead over the Sun Devils at the 31st annual Amer Ari Intercollegiate at the Hapuna Golf Course on the west side of the Big Island.
The Red Raiders turned in the best scorecard of the tournament (267), bettering Thursday's 268 by ASU. They erased Arizona State's five shot lead to sit one stroke above ASU heading into Saturday's final round. The Red Raiders have a two-day score of -36 and the Sun Devils are at -35.
The University of Washington remained in third place (-30) with identical rounds of 273. Still in the hunt is fourth place Pepperdine (-28), who had the second best score of the day (-18). Oklahoma State is in fifth (-26) and North Carolina is sixth (-23).
Six top 10 Division I teams (Golf Stat) teed off on Friday in 81 degree weather with 9 MPH winds. Day two leader Texas Tech is ranked No. 11. Other top teams at the Amer Ari include North Carolina (2), Arizona State (3), Oklahoma State (4), Pepperdine (6), Stanford (7), and Texas (8). Stanford is currently tied for tenth (-9) at the Amer Ari and Texas is ninth (-13).
Texas Tech's Baard Skogen shot to the top of the medalist leader board after firing a 65 on Friday. His two-day score of -13 (66-65) puts him two shots in front of Arizona State's Preston Summerhays (66-67). North Carolina's David Ford had the best round of the day (64), vaulting him into a tie for third place (-10). Four others share that rung at -10, including Dylan Menante (Pepperdine), RJ Manke (Washington), Austin Coggin (Auburn) and Mason Andersen (Arizona State). Four other players are at -9, just four shots out of the lead heading into the final 18 holes.
Host UH Hilo improved seven shots from the first day (308-301) to sit at +33. UH-Manoa is at +25. Dustin Franko had the Vulcans' best round of the day at even-par 72 and is at +8 for the tournament, while Keith Ng is UHH's overall leader at +3 (73-74). Andrew Otani is next at +9 (75-78).
The 19 teams will wrap up the 31st annual tournament on Saturday, with tee times beginning at 7:30 am Hawaii Time.
