College Golf
Rider at MAAC Championships - Day Two
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.--The Rider University golf team is participating at the three-day Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championships in Florida Friday through Sunday.
After day two of the 54-hole tournament on Saturday, Rider is in eighth place out of nine teams after shooting a 316. Rider shot a 314 on Friday for a two-day total of 630.
Today was a tough day," said head coach Bob Whartenby. "We got off to a horrible start. It looked like we were recovering a little in the middle of the round but lost it again on the tough closing holes at Magnolia."
Rider had one birdie, 43 pars, 22 bogeys and 12 double bogeys (or higher) on Saturday after three birdies, 57 pars, 23 bogeys, five double bogeys and two triple bogeys on Friday.
The 47 player tournament is being held at par 72, 7,008 yard Magnolia Golf Course in Disney World.
For Rider, sophomore James Buttermark (Staten Island, N.Y/Monsignor Farrell) shot a 77 after a 76 on Friday and is tied for 20th place with a 153. Buttermark had Rider's only birdie on the par five, 540 yard fourth hole after recording his only birdie on the par four, 446 yard fifth hole yesterday.
Buttermark is 12 shots out of the lead.
"James got off to the worst start out of everyone being four over through three holes but fought back to post a respectable score," Whartenby said.
Buttermark tied for seventh as a Rider rookie at the 2011 MAAC championships after rounds of 79-76-75 (230), earning All-MAAC honors for his top 10 finish.
Senior Chris Wolak (Issaquah, Wash./Hopkinton) shot a second round 80 after a 78 on Friday and is tied for 28th place with teammate, freshman Cole Clark (Califon/Voorhees) who had rounds of 80 and 78 (158).
Wolak was 13th at MAACs as a sophomore in 2010 and was 37th last season at MAACs as a junior.
Clark had his only birdie on the par four, 320 yard 13th hole Friday.
Junior Chris Foster (Pittsgrove/Schalick) shot a second round of 81 and has a two-day total of 163 after opening with an 82 Friday. Foster is tied for 38th place.
Foster scored his only birdie on the par five, 580 yard 14th hole Friday.
Freshman Luke Liddell (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) is in 44th place after a second round of 93. Liddell shot 80 in his opening round and has a 36-hole total of 173.
Jay Mulieri (Loyola Maryland) and Michael Jiggins (Niagara) lead the field with a two-round total of 141, one shot ahead of TJ Sumigray (Saint Peter's).
Loyola Maryland leads the field with a (577), followed by Saint Peter's (589), Canisius (600) and Fairfield (602). Iona is in fifth place (603), followed by Siena (622), Manhattan (625), Rider (630) and Niagara (638).
Last season, Rider was eighth of nine teams with a three-round total of 977 (328-326-323).
In 2010, Rider was third (302-312-300) with a score of 914 and in 2009, the Broncs were sixth (941) after rounds of 304, 319 and 318.
In 2008, Rider was the runner-up with scores of 303-295-295, for a total of 893 and the Broncs were fifth in 2007 (921) with rounds of 306, 301 and 326.
Highlights of the second round, produced by ESPN, are expected to be available on MAAC.TV Saturday evening.
The final 18 holes of the championship are Sunday.
"Our goal is to try and play a solid final round and end the season on a good note," Whartenby added.
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