Connor Neil moves up 12 spots in round two of NCAA Division 2

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Axtell, Neb. - Missouri Southern junior Connor Neil moved up 12 spots after the second round of the NCAA D2 Central/Midwest Regional Tuesday afternoon at Awarii Dunes.

Neil started on the back nine in one of the last groups of the day and opened his round with a pair of pars and holes 10 and 11. Connor began his moved on the 12th hole with a birdie on the 587 yard par 5 hole and shot an eagle on the 508 yard par 5 14th to go 3-under after just five holes of play. He would par 15 but bogey 16 as he completed the back nine with a 2-under 34.

On the front nine he sank birdie puts on holes one and three to go to 4-under but a bogey on the 404 yard par four sixth hole led to a 1-under 35 on the front nine for a second round total of 3-under 69. That round was good enough to move Neil up from a tied at 33rd into a tie for 21st for the tournament.

On the team leader board, 29th ranked Central Missouri stayed atop with a 10-under 278 round to put the Mules at 26-under 550 for the first two rounds. Lindenwood stands alone in second after a second round of 277 for a total score of 20-under 556. Washburn and 36th ranked Central Oklahoma are tied for eighth with a two round total of 10-under 566 and Northeastern State rounded out the MIAA teams in 18th with a 3-over 579 thru the first two rounds.

Southwestern Oklahoma State's Stefan Idstam moved up two spots into a tie for the lead in the individual medalist race after a second round of 7-under 65 to put him at 12-under 132 along with first round leader Keenai Sampson of McKendree and DJ Vogt of Bellarmine, who jumped 13 spots after a 9-under 63 second round. The top MIAA golfer is Shayne Allen of Central Missouri who sits in fifth place with a 10-under 134 thru the first two rounds. Lindenwood's Yente Van Doren is just one stroke back of Allen at 9-under 135 along with Washburn's Blake Allen.

Neil will finish the three day regional in a pairing with Minnesota State Mankato and Harding and will tee off at 9:15 a.m. CDT on the back nine. Live Results will be available at mssulions.com