Choi opens with 69; Gators seventh at NCAAs

OOLTEWAH, Tenn. – The way Phillip Choi made it around The Honors Course in the first round of the NCAA Division I Golf Championships Tuesday, you would be surprised to know he’s only a freshman.

But that he is, and with Choi shooting a 3-under-par 69, the Florida golf team finds itself tied for seventh at 1-under-par 287, just four shots out of first place that is shared by Oklahoma State and Florida State. The Gators, who started their rounds at the 10th hole, played the back nine 4-under-par as a group, and Choi himself was 3-under on those nine holes.

Choi, who opened his round with a birdie at 10 and then added birdies at Nos. 13, 16 and 18 to offset a bogey at 12, played even-par golf on the front nine holes of the Pete Dye-designed, rolling, hilly course outside of Chattanooga that is a par-72 layout of just under 7,400 yards.

“It was a great round,” the Orlando freshman said. “I think it was one of (my) best because … I was in complete control of my game. I kept my emotions in check and everything was just how I wanted it. I didn’t get ahead of myself, stayed in the present and it worked.”

It’s hard to believe, too, that Choi is the No. 5 player on coach Buddy Alexander’s squad. Senior Tim McKenney was next for Florida, carving out an even-par 72, one shot better than senior Tyson Alexander, junior Bank Vongvanij and redshirt junior Andres Echavarria.

“We got off to pretty solid start in that we were 1-under and four strokes back,” Alexander said. “But we got sloppy in the final holes today. We made some bad decisions at the end of the round with club selection. It’s too bad because otherwise it could’ve been a good day for us.”

McKenney, who was 1-under in his first nine holes thanks to birdies at Nos. 10 and 17 that offset a bogey at No. 15, bogeyed No. 8 to shoot 1-over on the front. Alexander, who also played the back nine in 1-under, finished 2-over on the front, bogeying No. 9 (his 18th). Both Echavarria and Choi played the front nine in even par, but Vongvanij double-bogeyed No. 9 to finish 1-over.

“Every shot is vital and it’s going to be close down the stretch,” Alexander continued.

Indeed, the top 8 teams were separated by just four shots. Following the 283 totals turned in by fourth-ranked Oklahoma State and No. 11 Florida State was the 284 turned in by top-ranked Oregon, which was a stroke ahead of Texas A&M. No. 16 Arizona State and No. 14 Clemson were tied for fifth after opening with 286 totals, one shot ahead of No. 13 Florida and No. 9 Augusta State.

The top 8 teams following Thursday’s third round will begin three days of match-play golf to determine the team champion. A total of 21 shots separated the Cowboys and Seminoles from No. 30 Illinois.

As close as the competition is for the teams, the scoring was equally close among the individuals. There were 35 sub-par rounds with the of them being the 4-under-par 68s turned in by Arizona State’s Jesper Kennegard and Augusta State’s Henrik Norlander.

Choi and 10 other golfers were tied for third at 69. Twelve golfers shot 2-under 70s and 11 more shot 71s. McKenney was in a group of 16 golfers who matched par and Alexander, Echavarria and Vongvanij were among 13 golfers who shot 1-over 73s.

“I think this is a great golf course,” Choi said. “It is a test of everything.”

For the most part, Phillip Choi and his Florida teammates more than passed Professor Dye’s test on the first day at The Honors Course.

NCAA DIVISION I MEN’S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS

THE HONORS COURSE (7,395 yards, par 72) / Ooltewah, Tenn. / Host: University of Tennessee, Chattanooga / Tuesday, June 1, 2010 / First Round

TEAM RESULTS

T1. (4) OKLAHOMA STATE 283 (-5)

T65. Kevin Tway 74 (+2); T3. Peter Uihlein 69 (-3); T13. Morgan Hoffmann 70 (-2); T13. Trent Whitekiller 70 (-2); T90. Sean Einhaus 75 (+3).

T1. (11) FLORIDA STATE 283 (-5)

T13. Drew Kittleson 70 (-2); T103. Wesley Graham 76 (+4); T25. Brooks Koepka 71 (-1); T3. Seath Lauer 69 (-3); T52. Michael Hebert 73 (+1).

3. (1) OREGON 284 (-4)

T13. Daniel Miernicki 70 (-2); T3. Eugene Wong 69 (-3); T65. Jack Dukeminier 74 (+2); T25. Isaiah Telles 71 (-1); T103. Andrew Vijarro 76 (+4).

4. (3) TEXAS A&M 285 (-3)

T25. Andrea Pavan 71 (-1); T139. Jordan Russell 79 (+7); T13. Ignacio Elvira 70 (-2); T13. Cameron Peck (-2); T65. Conrad Shindler 74 (+2).

T5. (16) ARIZONA STATE 286 (-2)

T1. Jesper Kennegard 68 (-4); T65. Scott Pinckney 74 (+2); T13. Knut Borsheim 70 (-2); T150. Braxton Marquez 81 (+9); T65. James Byrne 74 (+2).

T5. (14) CLEMSON 286 (-2)

T13. Ben Martin 70 (-2); T3. Luke Hopkins 69 (-3); T52. Jacob Burger 73 (+1); 156. Crawford Reeves 84 (+12); T65. Corbin Mills 74 (+2).

T7. (13) FLORIDA 287 (-1)

T52. Tyson Alexander 73 (+1); T36. Tim McKenney 72 (E); T52. Bank Vongvanij 73 (+1); T52. Andres Echavarria 73 (+1); T3. Phillip Choi 69 (-3).

T7. (9) AUGUSTA STATE 287 (-1)

T36. Mitch Krywulycz 72 (E); T52. Taylor Floyd 73 (+1); T119. Carter Newman 77 (+5); T65. Patrick Reed 74 (+2); T1. Henrik Norlander 68 (-4).

9. (5) WASHINGTON 289 (+1)

T52. Nick Taylor 73 (+1); T13. Richard Lee 70 (-2); T36. Chris Williams 72 (E); T90. Darren Wallace 75 (+3); T65. Charlie Hughes 74 (+2).

T10. (7) TEXAS 290 (+2)

T90. Cody Gribble 75 (+3); T3. Lance Lopez 69 (-3); T65. Bobby Hudson 74 (+2); T36. Dylan Frittelli 72 (E); T90. Charlie Holland 75 (+3).

T10. (15) GEORGIA TECH 290 (+2)

T25. John Tyler Griffin 71 (-1); T36. Chesson Hadley 72 (E); T119. James White 77 (+5); T129. Kyle Scott 78 (+6); T13. Paul Haley 70 (E).

T12. (42) KENT STATE 292 (+4)

T36. John Hahn 72 (E); T129. Brett Cairns 78 (+6); T65. Mackenzie Hughes 74 (+2); T13. Kevin Miller 70 (-2); T103. Isaac Charette 76 (+4).

T12. (2) STANFORD 292 (+4)

T129. David Chung 78 (+6); T36. Steve Ziegler 72 (E); T25. Sihwan Kim 71 (-1); T65. Andrew Yun 74 (+2); T90. Joseph Bramlett 75 (+3).

T12. (22) NORTH FLORIDA 292 (+4)

T36. Sean Dale 72 (E); T36. Kevin Phelan 72 (E); T52. J.C. Horne 73 (+1); T90. Joe Byun 75 (+3); T154. Jordan Gibb 83 (+11).

15. (29) CALIFORNIA 293 (+5)

T90. Michael Weaver 75 (+3); T36. Brandon Hagy 72 (E); T65. Stephen Hale 74 (+2); T139. Max Homa 79 (+7); T36. Eric Mina (E).

T16. (47) BAYLOR 294 (+6)

T65. Joakim Mikkelsen 74 (+2); T90. Payne Griewek 75 (+3); T103. Lorenzo Scotto 76 (+4); T3. Ryan O’Rear 69 (-3); T103. Cody Paladino 76 (+4).

T16. (12) UNLV 294 (+6)

T36. Derek Ernst 72 (E); T65. Eddie Olson 74 (+2); T36. Colby Smith 72 (E); T103. Brett Kanda 76 (+4); T119. Kevin Penner 77 (+5).

T16. (25) SAN DIEGO 294 (+6)

T90. Gunner Wiebe 75 (+3); T3. Alex Ching 69 (-3); T65. Kenneth McCready 74 (+2); T103. Jason Shano 76 (+4); T139. Scott Brace 79 (+7).

T16. (6) UCLA 294 (+6)

T25. Gregor Main 71 (-1); T3. Pontus Widegren 69 (-3); T103. Alex Kim 76 (+4); T129. Pedro Figueiredo 78 (+6); T146. Mario Clemens 80 (+8).

T20. (8) SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 295 (+7)

T65. T.J. Vogel 74 (+2); T52. Matthew Giles 73 (+1); T65. Steve Lim 74 (+2); T90. Martin Trainer 75 (+3); T65. Sam Smith 74 (+2).

T20. (21) OREGON STATE 295 (+7)

T25. Diego Velasquez 71 (-1); T25. Mike Barry 71 (-1); T119. Morten Madsen 77 (+5); T139. Alex Moore 79 (+7); T103. Nick Sherwood 76 (+4).

22. (23) DUKE 296 (+8)

T103. Brinson Paolini 76 (+4); T52. Adam Long 73 (+1); T3. Wes Roach 69 (-3); T139. Julian Suri 79 (+7); T129. Spencer Anderson 78 (+6).

T23. GEORGIA SOUTHERN 297 (+9)

T52. Logan Blondell 73 (+1); T119. Florian Sander 77 (+5); T25. Spencer Fulford 71 (-1); T103. Ryan Zabroske 76 (+4); T139. Matt Deal 79 (+7).

T23. (26) TENNESSEE 297 (+9)

T65. Robin Wingardh 74 (+2); T36. David Holmes 72 (E); T152. Darren Renwick 82 (+10); T52. Garrick Porteous 73 (+1); T129. Jay Vandeventer 78 (+6).

25. (19) VIRGINIA 300 (+12)

T36. Ben Kohles 72 (E); T65. Will Collins 74 (+2); T146. Amory Davis 80 (+8); T152. Henry Smart 82 (+10); T65. Kyle Stough 74 (+2).

26. PENN STATE 301 (+13)

T139. Kevin Foley 79 (+7); T103. TJ Howe 76 (+4); T25. Tommy McDonagh 71 (-1); T119. Ernie Marin 77 (+5); T119. Jim Markovitz 77 (+5).

T27. (10) TEXAS TECH 302 (+14)

T90. Nils Floren 75 (+3); T90. Chris Ward 75 (+3); T146. Matt Smith 80 (+8); T65. Tyler Weworski 74 (+2); T129. Finley Ewing IV 78 (+6).

T27. (24) TEXAS CHRISTIAN 302 (+14)

T65. Johan de Beer 74 (+2); T103. Travis Woolf 76 (+4); T129. Daniel Jennevret 78 (+6); T146. Pontus Gad 80 (+8); T65. Eli Cole 74 (+2).

29. (28) LOUISIANA STATE 303 (+15)

T90. Andrew Loupe 75 (+3); T129. Sang Yi 78 (+6); T119. Clayton Rotz 77 (+5); T129. Austin Gutgsell 78 (+6); T52. John Peterson 73 (+1).

30. (20) ILLINOIS 304 (+16)

T13. Scott Langley 70 (-2); T150. Luke Guthrie 81 (+9); T119. Zach Barlow 77 (+5); T103. Chris DeForest 76 (+4); T154. Matt Hoffman 83 (+11).

INDIVIDUALS

T25. Russell Henley (Georgia) 71 (-1); T36. Rhys Enoch (East Tennessee State) 72 (E); T65. Robbie Fillmore (Brigham Young) 74 (+2); T103. Nick Delio (Cal State Northridge) 76 (+4); T103. Espen Kofstad (Denver) 76 (+4); T119. Marshall Bailey (Virginia Tech) 77 (+5).

LEADERBOARD

T1. 68 (-4): (32) Jesper Kennegard (Arizona State); (46) Henrik Norlander (Augusta State).

T3. 69 (-3): Alex Chang (San Diego); Phillip Choi (Florida); (54) Luke Hopkins (Clemson); Seath Lauer (Florida State); Lance Lopez (Texas); Ryan O’Rear (Baylor); Wes Roach (Duke); (25) Peter Uihlein (Oklahoma State); (76) Pontus Widegren (UCLA); (10) Eugene Wong (Oregon).

T13. 70 (-2): (68) Knut Borsheim (Arizona State); Ignacio Elvira (Texas A&M); Paul Haley (Georgia Tech); (21) Morgan Hoffmann (Oklahoma State); Drew Kittleson (Florida State); (23) Scott Langley (Illinois); (41) Richard Lee (Washington); (79) Ben Martin (Clemson); (7) Daniel Miernicki (Oregon); Kevin Miller (Kent State); (39) Cameron Peck (Texas A&M); (45) Trent Whitekiller (Oklahoma State).

T25. 71 (-1): Mike Barry (Oregon State); Spencer Fulford (Georgia Southern); (31) John Tyler Griffin (Georgia Tech); (12) Russell Henley (Georgia); (92) Sihwan Kim (Stanford); (40) Brooks Koepka (Florida State); (37) Gregor Main (UCLA); Tommy McDonagh (Penn State); (2) Andrea Pavan (Texas A&M); Isaiah Telles (Oregon); (5) Diego Velasquez (Oregon State).

T36. 72 (E): (9) Sean Dale (North Florida); (52) Rhys Enoch (East Tennessee State); (38) Derek Ernst (UNLV); (15) Dylan Frittelli (Texas); (86) Chesson Hadley (Georgia Tech); Brandon Hagy (California); John Hahn (Kent State); David Holms (Tennessee); (50) Ben Kohles (Virginia); (71) Mitch Krywulycz (Augusta State); (88) Tim McKenney (Florida); (65) Eric Mina (California); (74) Kevin Phelan (North Florida); (78) Colby Smith (UNLV); (42) Chris Williams (Washington); (33) Steve Ziegler (Stanford).

T52. 73 (+1): (30) Tyson Alexander (Florida); Logan Blondell (Georgia Southern); Jacob Burger (Clemson); Andres Echavarria (Florida); Taylor Floyd (Augusta State); Matthew Giles (Southern California); Michael Hebert (Florida State); J.C. Horne (North Florida); (70) Adam Long (Duke); John Peterson (Louisiana State); Garrick Porteous (Tennessee); (1) Nick Taylor (Washington); Bank Vongvanij (Florida).

TEE TIMES / Wednesday, June 2, 2010 / Second Round

7 a.m. (1): No. 1 Oregon (Daniel Miernicki, Eugene Wong, Jack Dukeminier, Isaiah Telles, Andrew Vijarro); No. 2 Stanford (David Chung, Steve Ziegler, Sihwan Kim, Andrew Yun, Joseph Bramlett); No. 3 Oklahoma State (Kevin Tway, Peter Ulhlein, Morgan Hoffmann, Trent Whitekiller, Sean Einhaus)

7:20 a.m. (10): No. 4 Washington (Nick Taylor, Richard Lee, Chris Williams, Darren Wallace, Charlie Hughes); No. 5 Texas (Cody Gribble, Lance Lopez, Bobby Hudson, Dylan Frittelli, Charlie Holland); No. 6 Texas Tech (Nils Floren, Chris Ward, Matt Smith, Tyler Weworski, Finley Ewing IV)

7:47 a.m. (1): No. 7 Texas A&M (Andrea Pavan, Jordan Russell, Ignacio Elvira, Cameron Peck, Conrad Shindler); No. 8 Southern California (T.J. Vogel, Matthew Giles, Steve Lim, Martin Trainer, Sam Smith); No. 9 Augusta State (Mitch Krywulycz, Taylor Floyd, Carter Newman, Patrick Reed, Henrik Norlander)

8:07 a.m. (10): No. 10 Florida State (Drew Kittleson, Wesley Graham, Brooks Koepka, Seath Lauer, Michael Hebert); No. 11 Clemson (Ben Martin, Luke Hopkins, Jacob Burger, Crawford Reeves, Corbin Mills); No. 12 UCLA (Gregor Main, Pontus Widegren, Alex Kim, Pedro Figueiredo, Mario Clemens)

8:35 a.m. (1): No. 13 Florida (Tyson Alexander, Tim McKenney, Bank Vongvanij, Andres Echavarria, Phillip Choi); No. 14 Georgia Tech (John Tyler Griffin, Chesson Hadley, James White, Kyle Scott, Paul Haley); No. 15 UNLV (Derek Ernst, Eddie Olson, Colby Smith, Brett Kanda, Kevin Penner)

8:55 a.m. (10): No. 1 Espen Kofstad (Denver); No. 2 Russell Henley (Georgia); No. 3 Nick Delio (Cal State Northridge)

12:12 p.m. (10): No. 16 Kent State (John Hahn, Brett Cairns, Mackenzie Hughes, Kevin Miller, Isaac Charette); No. 17 Texas Christian (Johan de Beer, Travis Woolf, Daniel Jennevret, Pontus Gad, Eli Cole); No. 18 San Diego (Gunner Wiebe, Alex Ching, Kenneth McCready, Jason Shano, Scott Brace)

12:30 p.m. (1): No. 19 California (Michael Weaver, Brandon Hagy, Stephen Hale, Max Homa, Eric Mina); No. 20 Arizona State (Jesper Kennegard, Scott Pinckney, Knut Borsheim, Braxton Marquez, James Byrne); No. 21 Oregon State (Diego Velasquez, Mike Barry, Morten Madsen, Alex Moore, Nick Sherwood)

12:59 p.m. (10): No. 22 North Florida (Sean Dale, Kevin Phelan, J.C. Horne, Joe Byun, Jordan Gibb); No. 23 Duke (Brinson Paolini, Adam Long, Wes Roach, Julian Suri, Spencer Anderson); No. 24 Tennessee (Robin Wingardh, David Holmes, Darren Renwick, Garrick Porteous, Jay Vandeventer)

1:17 p.m. (1): No. 25 Penn State (Kevin Foley, T.J. Howe, Tommy McDonagh, Ernie Marin, Jim Markovitz); No. 26 Virginia (Ben Kohles, Will Collins, Amory Davis, Henry Smart, Kyle Stough); No. 27 Illinois (Scott Langley, Luke Guthrie, Zach Barlow, Chris DeForest, Matt Hoffman)

1:47 p.m. (10): No. 28 Louisiana State (Andrew Loupe, Sang Yi, Clayton Rotz, Austin Gutgsell, John Peterson); No. 29 Baylor (Joakim Mikkelsen, Payne Gniewek, Lorenzo Scotto, Ryan O’Rear, Cody Paladino); No. 30 Georgia Southern (Logan Blondell, Florian Sander, Spencer Fulford, Ryan Zabroske, Matt Deal)

2:05 p.m. (1): No. 4 Rhys Enoch (East Tennessee State); No. 5 Robbie Fillmore (Brigham Young); No. 6 Marshall Bailey (Virginia Tech)