Alabama Vaults Into Top Spot after Strong Second Round at Norman Men’s Golf Regional

All five Crimson Tide golfers shot par or better on the day to help the team card a round of 8-under on moving day.

Author:
BamaCentral Staff
Updated:
May 16, 2023 8:47 PM EDT
Original:
May 16, 2023

NORMAN, Okla. — Four Alabama golfers carded below par rounds to lead the Crimson Tide to a second round score of 8-under par 280 Tuesday at the 2023 Norman Men’s Golf Regional. As a result, Alabama vaulted into first place overall with a 36-hole team score of 15-under par 561 (281-280).

The 17th-ranked Crimson Tide lead No. 9 Oklahoma (-13) by two strokes entering Wednesday’s final round of play. The Regional’s top seed and No. 5-ranked Texas Tech (-11) is tied with Colorado (-11) for third place.

Canon Claycomb led the charge during Tuesday’s second round, finishing with a 3-under 69, while JP Cave (-2), Jonathan Griz (-2) and Nick Dunlap (-1) all carded below-par rounds. Meanwhile, Thomas Ponder collected a score of even par put all five UA golfers at par or better on the day.

The Norman Regional, which is being played on the par-72, 7,452-yard Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club, is one of six regional sites currently taking place around the country. The top five teams and low individual not on an advancing team from each site will advance to the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championships hosted by Arizona State University in Scottsdale, Ariz. at the Grayhawk Golf Club, from May 26-31.

Day Two Highlights

All starting five UA golfers are at par or better through 36 holes of action at the Norman Regional

Nick Dunlap continues to lead the way for the Tide in third overall entering Wednesday’s final round of play

Dunlap followed his opening round score of 6-under 66 with a 1-under 71 and is in third overall with a two-day total of 7-under par 137

He now has nine birdies across his two rounds which leads the team and ranked in a tie for eighth in the field

Claycomb joins Dunlap in the top 10 as he is tied for seventh overall with a 4-under par 140 (71-69)

Claycomb enters third round action third in the first in par 4 scoring (-4, 3.80)

JP Cave and Jonathan Griz each carded rounds of 2-under par 70 on the day

Cave is in a tie for 17^th overall at 2-under par 142 (72-70), while Griz is in a tie for 32^nd at even par 144 (74-70)

Thomas Ponder is tied with Griz in 32^nd position after shooting back-to-back rounds of even par 72

Team Highlights

Alabama owns a two-stroke lead over No. 2 seed and tournament host Oklahoma, and has a four-shot lead over top-seeded and fifth-ranked Texas Tech and Colorado

No. 44 North Florida (-10) is holding onto the fifth spot, two shots better than No. 32 Duke (-8)

The Crimson Tide is making its 17^th regional appearance under head coach Jay Seawell and its 25^th appearance in the event overall

Alabama has won the NCAA Regional four times: 2009 Galloway (N.J.) Regional, 2012 Athens (Ga.) Regional, 2013 Baton Rouge (La.) Regional and 2014 Auburn (Ala.) Regional

The Crimson Tide has advanced to nationals 11 times under head coach Jay Seawell, securing back-to-back national championship titles in 2013 and 2014

Up Next

The Crimson Tide will tee off the third and final round two at 8 a.m. CT and will be paired alongside Texas Tech and Oklahoma for a third consecutive round