April 28, 2001
Evanston, Ill. - With three golfers in the top five, the Northwestern men's golf team is currently in first place after 36 holes in East Lansing, Mich. NU shot rounds of 278-287=565 on Forest Akers West Golf Course (par-71, 6,900), leading Michigan State by seven strokes.
Junior Chris Thayer fired a career-low 7-under-par 64 in first round action and followed up with a 72 in the afternoon round. He will head into tomorrow's final 18 holding a one-stroke lead. Thayer's 64 is the third best single round score in NU history.
Tom Johnson and Luke Donald are tied for third with two-round totals of 141. Donald shot an opening round 69 and a second round 72, while Johnson carded par in the morning and a 1-over-par in the afternoon round.
If the `Cats hold on to the lead through Sunday's final round it will be their third tournament win this year and the 15th of head coach Pat Goss' five-year career.
TEAM
1. Northwestern 278-287=565 2. Michigan State 284-288=572 3. Minnesota 293-281=574 4. Iowa 291-285=576 5. Wisconsin 284-295=579 6. Ohio State 298-284=582 7. UNC-Greensboro 294-291=585 8. Missouri 292-295=587 Kent State 297-290=587 10. Eastern Michigan 291-298=589 11. Michigan 294-298=592 12. Marshall 300-294=594 Xavier 300-294=594 14. Illinois 298-298=596 15. Indiana 312-300=612
NORTHWESTERN SCORES
1. Chris Thayer 64-72=136 t-3. Luke Donald 69-72=141 t-3. Tom Johnson 71-70=141 t-33. T.C. Ford 74-73=147 77. Casey Strunk 79-83=162