Feb. 22, 2010
Puerto Rico Classic Round Two Results (PDF Format) 
RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico -- Northwestern matched the second-lowest team round of the day Monday at the Puerto Rico Classic on the Rio Mar River Course, carding a total of 10-under 278 to jump three spots into a tie with host Purdue for seventh place in the tournament.
The Wildcats now are one shot behind sixth-place No. 36 Kent State and three behind fifth-place No. 11 Georgia Tech. NU is three clear of ninth-place No. 37 East Tennessee State with its two-day total of 8-under 568 (290-278). NU's 12-shot improvement from round one to round two easily was the best in the 15-team field.
No. 10 Texas fired a mind-boggling 19-under 269 Monday to blow past No. 1 Oklahoma State and take an eight-stroke lead in the tournament at 30-under 546.
How strong was NU's day? All five Wildcats went under par in the second round, compiling 21 birdies among the group. Junior Josh Dupont (Poway, Calif./Cathedral Catholic) led the way with a 4-under 68, which put him at 4-under 140 (72-68) for the tournament. Dupont surged from 32nd after the opening round to 13th overall in the individual standings, helped by an eagle on the par-5 fourth hole. His 68 is his best round of the year and his first in the 60's in 2009-10.
Junior David Lipsky (La Canada, Calif./La Canada) remained in the top-10 with a 2-under 70 on Monday, moving him to 6-under 138 (68-70) through 36 holes. Lipsky now is seventh overall and is the leading Big Ten golfer in the field at the moment.
Senior Jonathan Bowers (Columbus, Ohio./Bishop Watterson) made it three Wildcats under par for the tournament with his 1-under 71 Monday, placing him 30th overall at 1-under 143 (72-71).
Sophomore Sam Chien (San Diego, Calif./Mt. Carmel) broke 70 for the fourth time this year with a 3-under 69, pushing him up to 46th overall at 3-over 147 (78-69). Classmate Eric Chun (Ansung City, South Korea/International Christian School) also recovered from his first-round 78 to find red numbers with a 1-under 71. He now is 53rd at 5-over 149 (78-71).
Lipsky and Chien each have a team-best five rounds of par or better on the 2009-10 season following Monday's second round in Puerto Rico. The tournament concludes tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb. 23, with the final round beginning at 5:30 a.m. CT.