Gamecocks Lead After 36 Holes of J.T. Poston Invitational

SAPPHIRE, N.C. — South Carolina leads by two shots over Chattanooga after the opening two rounds of the 2021 J.T. Poston Invitational. The Gamecocks shot 547 (-21) with rounds of 274 (-10) and 273 (-11). Senior First Team All-American Ryan Hall and junior Jack Wall paced Carolina and each sit T-4^th at 6-under, four shots behind the leader.
 
Hall shot 67 (-4) and 69 (-2), respectively. Wall fired an even par 71 to start the day and then finished with a bogey free 65 (-6) in round two, matching a career 18-hole low score. The Brielle, N.J., native is the field leader in par-4 scoring average (3.68, -7).
 
“We played pretty well today for the most part, and I thought it was a great start to our year,” said head coach Bill McDonald. “All five guys fought for every shot, and that’s all I can ask for. It was also nice to see Jack playing well after a week of fighting off wrist issues. Tomorrow will be a good test for us, and we look forward to the challenge.”
 
The duo of Hall and Wall each made 11 birdies the opening 36 holes. The Gamecocks lead the field with 47 birdies total.
 
Senior transfer Evans Lewis and Gene Zeigler each opened with 3-under 68s in their Garnet and Black debuts the first 18 holes. They each shot 72 (+1) in the second round. Lewis was hurt by a triple bogey at the par-4 first hole and Zeigler made just one birdie.
 
Sophomore Rafe Reynolds had a solid day opening with an even par 71. He crept outside the top-10 in round two with a 4-under 67 that featured five birdies and an eagle. The Greenville, S.C., native is T-12^th. Lewis and Zeigler are T-19^th.  
 
Sophomore Liam Shinn and freshman Nathan Franks are competing as individuals this week. Shinn is T-30^th after rounds of 73 (+2) and 68 (-3). Franks shot 69 (-2) and 76 (+5).
 
In the team’s previous outing at the event in 2019, Hall picked up his first collegiate win and the team finished runner-up after shooting a school record 806 (-46) thanks to a field-best 70 birdies.
 
South Carolina will tee off alongside the Mocs and Middle Tennessee State at 10:05 a.m. (ET) for the final round on Tuesday, seeking the team’s first tournament win since the Southern Intercollegiate in 2019. Live scoring is available, via Golfstat.
 
2021 J.T. Poston Invitational Field
1. South Carolina – 547 (-21)
2. Chattanooga – 549 (-19)
3. Middle Tennessee State – 553 (-15)
4. Belmont – 557 (-11)
5. Western Carolina – 562 (-6)
T6. Appalachian State – 563 (-5)
T6. Kennesaw State – 563 (-5)
8. Georgia Southern – 564 (-4)  
9. Wofford – 565 (-3)
10. Furman – 567 (-1)
11. UNCW – 573 (+5)
12. Morehead State – 577 (+9)
13. Mercer – 578 (+10)
14. Central Arkansas – 601 (+33)
 
2021 J.T. Poston Invitational Gamecock Lineup
T4. Ryan Hall – 136 (-6)
T4. Jack Wall – 136 ( -6)
T12. Rafe Reynolds – 138 (-4)
T19. Evans Lewis – 140 (-2)
T19. Gene Zeigler – 140 (-2)
T30. *Liam Shinn – 141 (-1)
T50. *Nathan Franks – 145 (+3)
 
*playing as an individual

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