Quest for SBC Golf Championship hits snag for Blue Raider men

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Middle Tennessee's quest for its first Sun Belt men's golf championship hit a snag during second-round action of the SBC Golf Championships at The PGA Village here Tuesday afternoon.

Photos: Round Two Gallery

The Blue Raiders had one of their worst outings of the spring with a second-round high 305 to fall into ninth place, 14 strokes behind leader Western Kentucky, heading into Wednesday's final round.

"It's very disappointing," Middle Tennessee men's golf coach Johnny Moore said. "We just didn't play well at all. Rick Cochran played well and had 17 balls in regulation. He actually played very well, but we didn't play well as a team. We just have to put some things together (Wednesday) and see what we can salvage."

After posting a career-best 69 in first-round action Monday, Chas Narramore came back with a 4-over 76 Tuesday to fall into a tie for 11th place. Cochran, on the other hand, put together a solid round and shot par to improve by five strokes from his first-round score of 77. His 149 is second on the team through two rounds.

It was an otherwise dismal day for the Blue Riders, who saw Josh Nelms shoot a 77 to give him a two-day-total 153, good for a tie for 32nd, while Spencer Provow's 80 in the second-round gives him a 153 and 48th place standing with one round remaining.

Sophomore Nick Bailes was disqualified from Tuesday's round because he failed to sign his scorecard. Middle Tennessee will tee off for the final round Wednesday.

Team Scores
1 Western Kentucky 286 286 572
2 South Alabama 288 289 577
3 Troy 292 290 582br> 4 North Texas 293 291 584
5 New Orleans 303 282 585
6 Arkansas State 292 295 588
7 Arkansas-Little Rock 290 302 592
8 Denver 301 295 596
99 Middle Tennessee 296 305 601
10 Louisiana-Lafayette 304 300 604

MT Scores
T11 Chas Narramore 69 76 145
T25 Rick Cochran 77 72 149
T32 Josh Nelms 76 77 153
48 Spencer Provow 83 80 163
DQ Nick Bailes 74 DQ

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