WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue men's golf team overcame a sluggish start, finishing with a flurry to grab the 36-hole lead at the Boilermaker Invitational at Ackerman-Allen Golf Course.
The Boilermakers totaled a two-round tally of 19-under par 549 (281-268) to lead Marquette by four shots heading into Easter Sunday's final round.
Michigan is third at 12-under par 556, while Michigan State and Notre Dame are at 11-under par 557 and Indiana is in sixth at 10-under par 558.
The morning round was played in a steady light rain, while conditions improved drastically in round two, as the 90 golfers shaved more than a stroke-and-a-half off the average from round one (72.88) to round two (71.22).
Purdue answered with one of its best rounds in school history, shooting a 16-under par 268, which tied for the second-lowest, 18-hole score in Purdue history. The four scores on Purdue's counting team in round two had 17 birdies, one eagle and just three bogeys.
Leading the charge was sophomore Sam Easterbrook, who shares the 36-hole individual lead with Michigan State's Caleb Bond and Marquette's Patrick Adler at 7-under par 135. Easterbrook recorded rounds of 69 and 66, giving him 10 rounds in the 60s already this season – good for the fifth most in a season in school history.
Easterbrook is looking for his second win this spring after winning the Puerto Rico Classic.
Nels Surtani had a strong day, sitting in a tie for seventh at 5-under par 137 (68-69). Surtani had seven birdies against just two bogeys on the day.
Inserted into the lineup about 15 minutes before the start this morning, Kentaro Nanayama responded with a 36-hole total of 4-under par 138 (71-67) to be in a tie for ninth after the first day. Nanayama had just one bogey in his first 36 holes, and none in the last 30 holes.
Jenson Forrester is tied for 14th, moving up 32 spots after a second-round 66 for a two-round total of 3-under par 139 (73-66).
Supapon Amornchaichan is tied for 52nd at 1-over par 145 (73-72).
Purdue will be paired with Marquette and Michigan in Sunday's final round, teeing off at 9 a.m. ET, off holes one through three.
The Boilermakers totaled a two-round tally of 19-under par 549 (281-268) to lead Marquette by four shots heading into Easter Sunday's final round.
Michigan is third at 12-under par 556, while Michigan State and Notre Dame are at 11-under par 557 and Indiana is in sixth at 10-under par 558.
The morning round was played in a steady light rain, while conditions improved drastically in round two, as the 90 golfers shaved more than a stroke-and-a-half off the average from round one (72.88) to round two (71.22).
Purdue answered with one of its best rounds in school history, shooting a 16-under par 268, which tied for the second-lowest, 18-hole score in Purdue history. The four scores on Purdue's counting team in round two had 17 birdies, one eagle and just three bogeys.
Leading the charge was sophomore Sam Easterbrook, who shares the 36-hole individual lead with Michigan State's Caleb Bond and Marquette's Patrick Adler at 7-under par 135. Easterbrook recorded rounds of 69 and 66, giving him 10 rounds in the 60s already this season – good for the fifth most in a season in school history.
Easterbrook is looking for his second win this spring after winning the Puerto Rico Classic.
Nels Surtani had a strong day, sitting in a tie for seventh at 5-under par 137 (68-69). Surtani had seven birdies against just two bogeys on the day.
Inserted into the lineup about 15 minutes before the start this morning, Kentaro Nanayama responded with a 36-hole total of 4-under par 138 (71-67) to be in a tie for ninth after the first day. Nanayama had just one bogey in his first 36 holes, and none in the last 30 holes.
Jenson Forrester is tied for 14th, moving up 32 spots after a second-round 66 for a two-round total of 3-under par 139 (73-66).
Supapon Amornchaichan is tied for 52nd at 1-over par 145 (73-72).
Purdue will be paired with Marquette and Michigan in Sunday's final round, teeing off at 9 a.m. ET, off holes one through three.