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Varner Shoots 72 During Round Two Of NCAAs
ECU sophomore is three-over heading Saturday's final round

	Harold Varner

May 21, 2010

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - East Carolina sophomore Harold Varner posted a two-over-par 72 in the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Regional Friday at The Course At Yale.

Varner finds himself in a tie for 34th place with a three-over-par total of 143 (71-72) after 36 holes of the three-round event. The top five teams and individual not part of an advancing team will quality for the 2010 NCAA Division I National Championships, scheduled for June 1-6 on The Honors Course in Chattanooga, Tenn. He is slated to begin his final round Saturday with Justin Lee of Columbia University and Erik Adolfsson of Lafayette College at 9:10 a.m., as the trio will start from the No. 10 tee.

Opening the second round on the back nine of the 6,749-yard, par-70 layout, Varner began with a bogey on No. 10 before shooting par on the next five holes. The Gastonia, N.C. product then carded a five on the par-four 16 to drop to two-over par. He was able to par 17 and 18 to finish the first half of his round.

On the front nine, Varner used back-to-back birdies on the first two holes to pull to even-par. After paring No. 3, he bogeyed No. 4 to fall to one-over. Varner then pared the next four holes before ending his round with a four on the par-three No. 9 hole to finish at two-over for the day.

After shooting two-over on the first seven holes, Varner shot even-par over the final 11 holes of round two.

"Harold did a nice job of battling back," Pirate head coach Press McPhaul said. "He has been playing pretty solid, he's just got to hit a few more good shots and sink a few more putts.

"He knows what it takes to play well is being fundamental. He can't worry about the things he can't control. He needs to get off to a good start tomorrow and then go take care of business."

Texas and Kent State are tied for the overall team lead at five-under-par 555. Penn State is five strokes back at with a score of par 560 followed by UCLA in fourth-place at three-over 563 and Virginia in fifth-place at 565. Charlotte, East Tennessee State and UNC Wilmington are one stroke out of fifth-place.

The individual lead belongs to Rhys Enoch of East Tennessee State, who is seven-under par through tow rounds. Penn State's Kevin Foley is one stroke off the lead, while Texas' Cody Gribble and Kent State's Kevin Miller are two strokes behind.