LEMONT, Ill. ? Sophomore Zach Wanken (Galesburg, Ill./Galesburg) fired a pair of 74's to highlight the first day of play for the Bradley men's golf team at the John Dallio Memorial at the par-72 Ruffled Feathers Golf Course Monday. Wanken and the Braves are in 13th place heading into Tuesday's final round of play.
Wanken, who has shot 76 or better in each of his five rounds this fall, carded a season-best 74 in the opening round Monday morning and followed with another 74 in the afternoon to finish the day in 16th place at 148.
Senior Tommie Ackerman (Peoria, Ill./Peoria Christian/Illinois Central) shot an opening-round 82 and recovered with a season-best 75 in the second round to end the day in a tie for 56th place at 157.
Fellow senior Nick Roth (Rochester, Ill./Rochester/Illinois Central) had a similar performance to Ackerman, firing an 87 to start the day, but following it up with a season-low 77 and is currently in 67th with a 164.
Freshman Coby Thompson (East Galesburg, Ill./Knoxville) is tied for 70th at 166 after shooting rounds of 84 and 82, while sophomore Kyle Phelan (Fishers, Ind./Cathedral) turned in rounds of 88 and 83 and is 73rd overall at 171.
Cold, wet and windy conditions made play difficult in the morning, as the Braves shot 327 as a squad on the opening 18 holes. Bradley took 19 shots off its score in the afternoon round, firing a second-round 308 to end the day in 13th place at 635.
Northern Iowa holds a seven-shot lead heading into Tuesday's play with a two-round total of 581. Detroit is second at 588 and is followed by Western Illinois in third place at 593. Drake is fourth at 594, with Loyola just one shot back in fifth place at 595. Tournament-host DePaul is sixth at 597, while Dayton is seventh overall 599.
Eastern Illinois ended the day in eighth (600), with Boston College (607) and Youngstown State (611) checking in at ninth and 10th, respectively. Illinois State is 11th at 615 and Colgate is in 12th place, nine shots ahead of the Braves at 626. Bradley rounds out the field in 13th at 635.
The Braves conclude play at the John Dallio Memorial Tuesday with one round of play.
