Sargent One Stroke Back of Lead Entering Final Round of Border Olympics

Friday, March 9

Laredo, Texas

Western Kentucky University

Hosted by Houston

Photo by: Steve Roberts, WKU Athletics

Sargent One Stroke Back of Lead Entering Final Round of Border Olympics

3/9/2018 7:42:00 PM | Men's Golf

LAREDO, Texas — WKU's Billy Tom Sargent is one stroke out of the lead after a strong opening day Friday at Houston's Border Olympics, while the Hilltopper Golf team is poised to make a push in the final round after a promising collective start.

Sargent, a redshirt junior, fired a 7-under total of 137 (67-70) over the first two rounds at the par-72, 7,125-yard Laredo Country Club. That ties his career low for 36 holes.

Sargent opened play with a red-hot 67 in the first round, carding five birdies with no bogeys. The 67 ties his season low for a round, and he has five rounds of 69 or better in his last eight opportunities.

He's just one shot behind Sam Houston State's Camden DeBonis and William Holcomb going into Saturday's final round, which begins at 8 a.m. CT.

"I think the team played really solid," Sargent said. "We've seen this course only two times around, and there's always things you can learn about a course. We learned a lot in the first round and adjusted. The greens got a little bumpy there in the second round, so it made it a little tougher to make putts, but we're right there."

The Hilltoppers are in 11th place in the 17-team field with a 1-over 577 (286-291) tally, but they're just 10 strokes behind the leader, Arkansas State.

Junior Stuart Easton is tied for 62nd with a 148 (74-74) total. Redshirt sophomore Linus Lo (73-76-149), sophomore Tom Bevington (72-78-150) and freshman Crimson Callahan (80-71-151) are right behind him.

"We're really close, and I'm proud of the guys," WKU head coach Phillip Hatchett said. "I'm proud of the way they're holding their heads high and carrying themselves out here. For the first time to play in this tournament, for us to get it as a collective team under par and finish at 1 over – we're poised to play really well."

Border Olympics First Day Results

3. Billy Tom Sargent (67-70-137)
T62. Stuart Easton (74-74-148)
T65. Linus Lo (73-76-149)
T77. Tom Bevington (72-78-150)
T83. Crimson Callahan (80-71-151)