Bethune teams near titles with one round left
The Bethune-Cookman University men’s and women’s golf teams continued to dominate the PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship in Saturday’s second round at PGA Golf Club’s Wa n a m a k e r a n d Ry d e r courses in Port St. Lucie.
Today’s final round will begin with the B-CU men holding an 18-stroke advantage over Incarnate Word, 583-601, in Division I.
Bethune-Cookman’s Sam S l o man, t h e l o n e men’s Division I player to break par during round one (71), turned in a 2-over-par 74 in the second round. Incarnate Word’s Cole Solis bounced back from an opening 81 with a three-under 69.
The B-CU women, meanwhile, strengthened their grasp on first place with a 297 in the second round to lead Incarnate Word by 13 strokes.
Bethune’s Mackenzie Butzer, who c arded Friday ’s low round with a 69, followed with a 3-over-par 75. Teammate Alejandra Sanchez turned in Saturday’s low women’s score at 72.
Two men carded 3-under 69s for the low rounds of the day. After an opening 71, Connecticut’s Nabeel Khan improved by two strokes Saturday, thanks to birdies at three of his first four holes, to maintain control of first place in the men’s individual invitational at 140.
D e f e n d i n g c h a m p i o n David Liu of Palm Beach Atlantic, who trailed Khan by three entering the day, kept pace with a 69 of his own for a 143 total.
First-round leader Devery Stewart of Corban Universit y shot 77 and fell to third place at 147.
“I started off really well,” Khan told pga.com. “It was a confidence-booster for sure.”
Maryland Eastern Shore’s Tiana Jones posted a 2-overpar 74 for a 150 total, taking a six-shot lead in the women’s individual invitational.
Rinker wins: Lee Rinker won the South Florida PGA Senior Open in Jupiter.
Despite playing the par-5s at Jonathan’s Landing at Old Trail at 3 over par, Rinker shot a 3-under 69 to win by two over former PGA Tour winner Trevor Dodds and Rick Gomes.
Rinker led by four shots after eight holes and by three after 14, but found himself tied with Gomes with three holes to play after making a double bogey on the par-5 15th.
Rinker then rolled in a 20-foot birdie at the par-3 16th hole to take sole possession of the lead for good.
Rinker finished at 9-under 135 to win the Open for the second time. He also won in 2012 at Old Trail.
“I didn’t play my best coming in, but I hit a good shot at 16 and made the putt,” said Rinker, a Jupiter resident who is director of golf at Emerald Dunes in West Palm Beach.