NASHVILLE, Tenn. — WKU's Stuart Easton shot a career-low 67 in Monday's second round of the Ryman Hospitality Intercollegiate, helping Hilltopper Golf finish the first day tied for second place as a team.
Easton – a junior from Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland – is in fifth place individually with a two-round total of 141 at the par-71, 6-943-yard Richland Country Club.
He tallied six birdies with two bogeys in his second round for a 4-under 67, beating his previous low round of 69 last reached earlier this season. The 67 ties redshirt junior Billy Tom Sargent for the lowest round by a Hilltopper this season.
"Overall it was a good day for the team as a whole," Easton said. "There were some good scores, especially in the second round. I didn't have a great start to the first round, but in the second round, I was really solid. I stuck to my game plan, executed well, was calm when things got a little bit rough and took my chances when I had them."
Easton and redshirt sophomore teammate Linus Lo are both tied for second in the Lipscomb-hosted event with nine birdies apiece. WKU leads the field in total birdies (35) and par-4 scoring (+15).
The Hilltoppers are tied with Lipscomb for second in the 14-team field with a total of 580 (296-284), trailing only Conference USA foe Rice by nine strokes at 571.
WKU got rounds that counted toward the team score from all five competitors Monday, culminating with an even-par 284 in the second round.
"After having a month off between tournaments, it was good to go home and work on what we need to work on, and then have three more tournaments – almost like a second season within a season," WKU head coach Phillip Hatchett said. "Hopefully we're hitting our stride at the end of those three weeks where we can take it into conference and go."
Lo led WKU in the first round with a 2-under 69 and is tied for 12th at 144 (69-75). After starting with a 7-over 78, Sargent – who was adjusting to a brace after recently hyperextending his knee – rallied in the next round with an even-par 71 to tie him for 26th at 149.
After opening with an 80, sophomore Tom Bevington answered with an even-par 71 and is tied for 35th at 151, as is freshman Crimson Callahan (75-76).
Rice's Mitchell Meissner leads the individual standings at 136.
Tuesday's final round is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. with tee times.
Ryman Hospitality Intercollegiate First Day Results
5. Stuart Easton (74-67-141)
T12. Linus Lo (69-75-144)
T26. Billy Tom Sargent (78-71-149)
T38. Tom Bevington (80-71-151)
T38. Crimson Callahan (75-76-151)
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