Monday, February 24, 2003

PALMER, Puerto Rico (Feb. 24, 2003) - The East Tennessee State Buccaneer men's golfers shot a second-round 301 in Monday morning action to tie for 10th after two days of the Puerto Rico Classic, from Rio Mar Country Club in Palmer, Puerto Rico. Senior James Johnson (Barbados) led the Bucs in round two shooting a 1-over par 73, three shots better than his first round score. The round moved Johnson up the leaderboard into a tie for 28th (76-73=149). Sophomores Cennydd Mills (Cardiff, Wales) and Chase Baldwin (Brandon, Fla.) shot matching rounds for the second consecutive round. The duo shot 4-over-par 76's in round two to finish in a tie for 44th (76-76=152). Freshman Derek McNamara (Galway, Ireland) slipped to a tie for 51st (72-81=153) after firing a 9-over-par 81 in Monday's round. ETSU sophomore Jeremy Hobson (Thonotosassa, Fla.) shot a second-round 4-over-par 76 to move up to a tie for 61st (76-76=152). N.C. State leads Minnesota by three strokes and Oklahoma State by five with a team score of 2-under-par 574. The Wolfpack has the tournament's top-three players through two rounds, Fernando Mechereffe (69-69=138), Justin Walters (70-70=140) and Stephen Lewton (70-71=141). The Puerto Rico Classic concludes with the third and final round Tuesday morning from the Rio Mar Country Club in Palmer, P.R.