MIAMI BEACH, Fla. - - The Wilmington University golf team traveled back to Florida to compete in the Battle at the Shores hosted by Barry University at Normandy Shores, and started the tournament with a 309-308 in the first two rounds and are in a tie for 11th overall.
The Wildcats' 617 is good enough for a +49 on the par 71 course and they are tied with Tampa who shot a 311-306 for their 617. Host Barry leads the tournament with a 284-274 for a 558 (-10).
Senior Ryan Rucinski leads the Wildcats with a 142 (E) score through two rounds, shooting rounds of 72 and 70 on Monday. He is currently tied for second overall with nine birdies in the tournament, and has made his mark in the par three and par four holes. After two rounds, he is tied for eighth on the par four holes with an average score of 4.09 (+2) and tied for 12th overall with an average score of 3.00 (E) per par three hole.
Rucinski holed four birdies in the opening round 72 (+1), and then came back with five birdies and a 70 (-1) in the second round. He birdied three of his final five holes in the second round, including his final hole (the par four sixth), to get to one-under par.
Enrique Valverde is in a tie for 45th overall for the Wildcats, posting like rounds of 75 for a 150 (+8) on Monday. Valverde had two birdies on the back nine in round two and two more in the second round. Valverde was two-over par in the first round heading into his last hole, but a double bogey on the par four sixth put him at 75 (+4).
Jack Dixon was the third finisher for the Wildcats, posting like rounds of 77-77 for a 154 (+12) on Monday. Dixon had three birdies in the first round, birdieing holes 10, four and six to bring him to five-over in the round. Dixon bogeyed the par four seventh, however, before finishing the first round with a par putt on the par three eighth at six-over.
Freshman Arvy Shongwe and junior Braden McKay are tied for 84th overall, both sitting at 172 (+30). Shongwe had like rounds of 86 while McKay shot an 85 followed by an 87.
Lynn's Agustin Errazuriz leads the tournament with rounds of 67-69 for a 136 (-6) while Barry's Jorge Garcia is second overall with a 70-67 for a 137 (-5).
The third and final round will be a shotgun start on Tuesday morning, starting at 8:30 a.m.