University of Oklahoma announces Welch Shines, Sooners Climb on Day Two in Vegas

From February 27, 2023 post.

By: OU Athletics Communications

LAS VEGAS – Patrick Welch, the reigning champion at Southern Highlands, posted a 5-under, 67, as Oklahoma moved into solo fifth Monday on day two of the Southern Highlands Collegiate. The Sooners (5, -6) have three golfers inside the leaderboard's top 20 entering the 54-hole tournament's final round Tuesday.The ninth-ranked Sooners fired the 15-team field's third-lowest round of the day, signing for a 281 (-5) to move up from eighth to fifth on the team leaderboard. The tournament, held annually at Southern Highlands Golf Club in Las Vegas, features nine ranked teams, including four of the nation's top 10.Welch (5, -8) opened his day with a par before going birdie-bogey-birdie overs Nos. 2-4, before steadying his game. He buried two more birdies before making the turn but opened his back nine with a five on the par-4 10th. The All-American then got hot, collecting four consecutive birdies starting on the 12th to get into contention. A bogey on the 17th moved him from second to fourth, but Welch closed with a par to stay two back of the lead heading to the final round. If the senior can close the gap and win on Wednesday, it would be the third win of his career and the second straight at the Southern Highlands Collegiate. The tournament's winner receives an exemption into the PGA TOUR's Shriners Children's Open in the fall.Freshman Jase Summy carded a 75 (+3), but after an opening-round 66 on Monday, he remains in a tie for 13th. Drew Goodman (T16, -2) fired a 70 (-2) Monday to move into the top 20 as he hunts his eighth top-10 finish in 18 college events. Jake Holbrook finished Monday's round with a 74 (+2) and is tied for 38th, while Stephen Campbell Jr. (T47, +3) tallied an even-par 72 in the second round. Ben Lorenz finished the day with a 76 and is tied for 70th.Oklahoma is seven shots back of third and trails leader No. 4 North Carolina by 15 strokes with 18 holes to play. The Sooners are no strangers to final-round heroics, as the Crimson and Cream erased a five-shot deficit on the final day to win the Puerto Rico Classic two weeks ago. The OU tees go in the ground at 11:50 a.m. CT Tuesday, as the Sooners are paired with Illinois (4, -10) and Florida (T5, -6) in the final round. 

Original source can be found here.