Matt Vegter May 14, 2009

Central makes cut at NCAA tourney

PORT ST. LUCIE, FLA.—The Central College men's golf team had visions of lower scores after moving to the Ryder course Thursday at the 54-hole PGA Village in the NCAA Division III tournament. Instead the Dutch  slipped two spots to 20th with 302-308—610 after 36 holes of the 72-hole tournament. Central had played the lengthier Dye course Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Central freshman Sarah Paulson (Ottumwa) had four birdies and fired an even-par 72 to climb into second place after two rounds at the NCAA Division III women’s tournament Thursday.

Paulson flirted with the school record score of 71 she tied last fall. Playing the 5,831-yard, par-72 Wanamaker course Thursday, she stands at 75-72—147 at the tourney midpoint, 3 shots out of the lead. The women’s field plays the same course all four days.

Susan Martin of Methodist Univ. (N.C.) took over the individual lead at 73-71—144. Jessica Urban of Wis.-Stevens Point is third at 75-74—149. First-round leader Torie Ives of Wis.-Eau Claire fell back to the pack.

Paulson got off to a rocky start, with a par followed by three straight bogeys.

“She was really nervous,” said coach Jodee Schaben. But she said Paulson steadied herself on the way to the No. 5 tee.

“She just turned it on from there.”

Paulson, the only freshman in the top five, played the final 13 holes in 3-under par.

“Actually she didn’t strike the ball as well as she did yesterday,” Schaben said. “Yesterday she was down the middle on every hole. Today she put herself in some tough spots on a few holes. But she made some amazing recovery shots and her short game was really on.”

Men make cut--The good news for the men was that they survived the 36-hole cut. The 36-team field was slashed to the top 23 squads after Thursday’s round.

“That’s good but it wasn’t our goal,” said coach Charlie Estabrook. “We never did get it going today. It was windy this morning but it was windy for everybody else, too. We have no excuses. We started kind of bumpy and never turned it around.”

Andy Petersen (senior, Davenport, West HS) is tied for 29th individually at 73-75—148. Justin Smool (junior, Bagley, Panorama HS) follows at 76-76—152 with Andrew Townsend (Bettendorf, Pleasant Valley HS) at 74-80—154, Jason Harvey (sophomore, Goldfield, Clarion-Goldfield HS) at 81-77—158 and Matt Vegter (freshman, Morrison, Ill.) at 79-82—161.

The final two rounds will be played at the Dye course.