Spiders stay put on second day of Atlantic 10 Championship

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Richmond Spider men’s golf team combined for a 1-over par 289 in the second round of the A-10 Men’s Golf Championship Saturday, a three-shot improvement from Friday’s first round. Richmond will enter Sunday’s final round in sixth place, exactly where the Spiders found themselves entering Saturday.
 
UR’s 36-hole total of 581 (+5) is tied with Dayton for sixth in the 11-team field, 13 shots behind VCU, who leads the event at 568 (-8). Richmond finished strong for a second straight day on Saturday, playing the final five holes in a combined 6-under par. Senor Michael Childress recorded birdies on holes 14, 15, and 18, three of the nine birdies or better UR made on holes 14-18 Saturday.
 
“I feel like we always play well when there’s a little sense of urgency, and I think all the guys today reached a point where we were 2 or 3-over and realized that we were not playing our best,” said Childress. “When we feel that little sense of urgency and have opportunities, we capitalize on them.”
 
Childress was one of three Spiders to shoot even-par 72 Saturday, along with sophomore Garrett Clark and freshman Cole Ekert. Through 36 holes, Ekert and junior Ben Cooper are both tied for 19^th on the individual leaderboard at 145 (+1), just four shots back of a group of five golfers who are tied for the lead at 141 (-3).
 
Junior Lou Baker is one shot back at 146 (+2), tied for 24^th. Childress is tied for 28^th at 147 (+3) and Clark is tied for 35^th at 148 (+4).
 
The Spiders have shined on the four par 5s on the Watson Course at Reunion Resort, playing them in a combined 16-under par through the first two rounds, five shots better than any other team.
 
Richmond will tee off on the 10^th tee in Sunday’s final round and will be paired with Fordham and St. Bonaventure. UR’s tee times run from 8:15 AM to 8:51 AM.
 
“Tomorrow we’re in a position where we need to go shoot a number and play well,” said Childress. “We need to have an aggressive mindset. … I think in the back of our minds we know we’re a team that can put together a 12-under round just by playing our own game.”