DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The UCF men’s golf team turned in a strong first day at the Daytona Beach Intercollegiate Monday at the LPGA International Golf Course, as the Knights are seventh among a 15-team field with a team score of 597 (+21).
UCF is just eight strokes off the lead, as Troy and host Stetson are each tied with a 589 (+13). The Knights fired an 11-over-par 299 in the opening round and closed out the day with a 298 (+10) in the afternoon session.
Clemente Silva had a great first day for the Black and Gold, carding an even par 72 in the opening round and a 74 (+2) in the second round. He’s currently tied for eighth on the player leaderboard with a 146 (+2) to lead the Knights. Silva birdied three holes on the first 18 and then dropped in the same number of birdies in the second round.
Playing in his hometown, Chase Haygood put together two strong rounds and is tied for 19th with a five-over-par 149. He was three over through the first 18 holes and two over in the afternoon round. Haygood logged six birdies on the day with three in each round.
Lucas Dutartre and Jakob Stavang Stubhaug are each tied for 33rd following the first two rounds of action. Dutartre had a tough first round with a 78 (+6), but rebounded in the second round with a two-over-par 74 thanks to a pair of birdies.
Stubhaug had three birdies on the opening round and 15 pars in the second round en route to a six-over-par 76 in both rounds.
Freshman Palmer Haynes competed in his first tournament of the spring, carding a 76 (+4) in the first round and a 79 in the second round. He dropped in a birdie on hole No. 2 in the second round and hit a great tee shot on No. 12, a par three, which also led to a birdie. Haynes is tied for 49th among individuals with a 155 (+11).
Competing as an individual, Gustav Andersson tallied one of just five eagles on the day, as his approach shot on hole No. 2 in the second round fell in on his third stroke of a par five. He shot a 75 (+3) with three birdies in addition to his eagle in the afternoon session, while carding a 76 in the opening round with a birdie on No. 15 and 18.
The Knights return to action Tuesday morning for the third and final round of the Daytona Beach Intercollegiate.