Three Blue Devils Shoot 71, Duke In Second Place After Two Rounds At ACCs

Saturday, April 21

New London, N.C.

All Day

Duke University

Day Two

Duke To Play In Fighting Illini Invitational At Olympia Fields Country Club This Weekend

Three Blue Devils Shoot 71, Duke In Second Place After Two Rounds At ACCs

4/21/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf

By: Duke Sports Information

NEW LONDON, N.C. ? Senior Jake Grodzinsky, sophomore Clark Klaasen and freshman Adam Long each birdied the par-5 18th hole on Saturday to finish with matching one-under 71s in the second round of the 2007 ACC Championship at Old North State Club. The Blue Devils finished the day in second place after shooting a two-under 286 for the second consecutive day. Georgia Tech shot a 5-under 283 on Saturday to take a two-stroke lead over the Blue Devils with one round to play.

After two rounds Georgia Tech holds a narrow lead at six-under (570) with Duke (572), Clemson (571), North Carolina (575) and Virginia Tech (575) all within five shots of first place. North Carolina's Martin Ureta holds the individual lead at five-under (139), while three Blue Devils are in the top 10. Klaasen and Michael Schachner are tied for sixth and three strokes back at two-under (142). Long is four shots off the pace at one-under (143) and tied for 10th overall. Kyle Stanley (Clemson) and Cameron Tringale (Ga. Tech) are each one shot back of Ureta at four-under (140).

"I am proud of the way our guys fought out there today,” said interim head coach Brad Sparling. “Everyone was patient. We didn't have a lot of putts fall today, but I am happy with the position that we are in. Jake [Grodzinsky], Clark [Klaasen], Michael [Schachner] and Adam [Long] battled all day and played well. Jeff [Edelman] had problems with his allergies all round, so we will need to figure that out tonight. We are right in the mix for the team title and Schachner and Klaasen are right there in the individual race as well. We just need to have some putts drop tomorrow."

Grodzinsky got off to a great start with birdies on each of the first two holes. Following back-to-back pars, he suffered a bogey on No. 5 to slip back to one-under. Grodzinsky parred out to shoot a 35 on the front nine. He dropped another stroke with a bogey on No. 10, before carding a birdie on the par 4 12th hole. Grodzinsky played the next five holes at one-over, but got back to one-under with a birdie on the par-5 closing hole. Through two rounds, Grodzinsky is tied for 24th at two-over 146 (75-71).

"The team is right where we want to be, considering we really haven't played our best,” said Grodzinsky. “I am confident going into tomorrow. I played really well today, but I should have been three or four strokes better. I hit 16 greens, but had 18 putts on the back nine. I hit good putts, but they just didn't go in.”

Klaasen birdied No. 1, No. 4 and No. 6 but suffered a pair of double bogeys en route to a one-over 37 on the opening nine. He got back to even-par with a birdie on the 401-yard, par 4 10th hole before slipping back to one-over with a bogey on No. 11. The Grand Rapids, Mich., native carded five pars and birdies on No. 13 and No. 18 the rest of the way to close with a two-under 34 on the back nine. Klaasen also birdied No. 18 on Friday to finish with a one-under 71.

Long opened with a birdie on No. 1 but suffered three straight bogeys midway through his opening nine to slip to two-over par. He responded with birdies on No. 8 and No. 10 to get back to even-par but gave a stroke back with a bogey on the par 5 11th hole. Following a par on No. 12, Long birdied the 389-yard par-4 13th hole before closing with four straight pars and another birdie on No. 18. Long now has a team-high eight rounds of under-par golf on the year.

Schachner started well on Saturday with birdies on No. 2 and No. 4 to get to two-under. The Libertyville, Ill., native parred the next eight holes before slipping back to even-par with a double bogey on No. 13. Schachner also carded a bogey on No. 16 before parring No. 17 and No. 18 to finish with a one-over 73 (34-39).

Freshman Jeff Edelman battled allergies on Saturday in addition to the challenging Old North State Club course. The Southlake, Texas, native opened with a birdie on No. 1 but could not get things rolling en route to a seven-over 79. Edelman will enter tomorrow's final round 46th overall with a nine-over 153.

The Blue Devils begin teeing off in final round action on Sunday at 11:10 a.m. Duke will be paired with Georgia Tech and Clemson.

Saturday Scores
Clark Klaasen            37-34=71 (-1)
Adam Long                37-34=71 (-1)
Jake Grodzinsky          35-36=71 (-1)
Michael Schachner        34-39=73 (+1)
Jeff Edelman             39-40=79 (+7)

Saturday Notes
*** The Commissioner's award was given Saturday evening to the late Duke head coach Rod Myers and accepted by his wife, Nancy. The award is given at the discretion of the ACC Commissioner and is given to those individuals of the highest character who have made significant contributions to the ACC.

*** Duke played the opening hole at 4-under on Saturday. Edelman, Grodzinsky, Klaasen and Long each carded birdies on the 536-yard par 5.

*** Klaasen, Long and Schachner each closed the day in the top 10 of the individual standings.

*** Including Saturday's two-under 286, Duke has played eight of its last 11 rounds at even-par or better.

*** Long's 71 on marked his third straight round of even-par or better golf.

*** Grodzinsky, Klaasen and Long each birdied the 568-yard par 5 18th hole. As a team the Blue Devils played the hole at three-under. Duke played the four par 5s on Saturday at five-under.

*** Klaasen is tied with four others for the tournament lead with nine birdies, including five on Saturday. Long and Schachner are tied for sixth in the event with eight birdies apiece.

*** Grodzinsky and Edelman are tied for 11th at the ACC Tournament with 24 pars through two rounds.

*** Schachner has played the par 3s at one-under, tied for fourth best in the event.

*** Klaasen is tied for fifth in par 5 scoring at 4-under, while Grodzinsky is tied for ninth at 3-under.

*** Long is tied for fourth in par 4 scoring at 1-under.

Sunday Tee Times
11:10 ? Phillip Mollica (Clemson), Jeff Edelman (Duke), Kevin Larsen (Ga. Tech)
11:20 ?Sam Saunders (Clemson), Jake Grodzinsky (Duke), Taylor Hall (Ga. Tech)
11:30 ? David May (Clemson), Adam Long (Duke), Chesson Hadley (Ga. Tech)
11:40 ? Tanner Ervin (Clemson), Clark Klaasen (Duke), Roberto Castro (Ga. Tech)
11:50 ? Kyle Stanley (Clemson), Michael Schachner (Duke), Cameron Tringale (Ga. Tech)