Burnett's 69 Leads Men's Golf To 4th In NCAA Championship

Saturday, May 28

Scottsdale, Ariz. (Grayhalk G.C.)

All Day

North Carolina

NCAA Championship Day Two

May 28, 2022 | Men's Golf

NCAA Rd 2

Tar Heels Shoot 1 Over On Day 2

By: Steve Kirschner

NCAA Rd 2
May 28, 2022

Ryan Burnett birdied two of his last four holes to shoot 1-under-par 69 and David Ford and Ryan Gerard shot even-par 70s to lead the University of North Carolina to a 1-over-par finish in the second round of the 2022 NCAA Men's Golf Championship Saturday at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The Tar Heels shot 281 Saturday and have a two-round total of 9-over 569. Oklahoma is first at 2-over 562, Vanderbilt is third at 4 over, Oklahoma State is third at 6 over, UNC is fourth and defending NCAA champion Pepperdine is fifth at 16 over.

"A very solid round this morning," says UNC head coach Andrew DiBitetto, who earlier in the day was named one of five finalists for the Dave Williams Award, which is presented to the Division I Men's Coach of the Year by the Golf Coaches Association of America. "Obviously we played in the afternoon yesterday (when) out here in the desert things get really firm. So the good news is this morning it was a little bit softer conditions and we needed to take advantage of it. Our guys did a really nice job at 1 over par, which by the end of the day is going to look like a really good score."

Burnett followed a 1-over 71 in Friday's first round with 69 on Saturday. The Lafayette, Calif., native was 2 under par through his first eight holes before making bogeys on three of his next four. However, he closed his round with birdies on his 15^th and 17^th holes to finish 1 under for the day. He is tied for sixth place at even-par (140) after 36 holes.

"Burney (Burnett) was just so poised, so composed, so patient throughout the round," says DiBitetto. "He hit some phenomenal shots on the par threes. He played the four par-three holes in 3 under, which is incredible anywhere, especially out here."

Ford is tied for ninth at 1-over 141 after two rounds, shooting 70 today. For the second straight day the freshman from Peachtree Corners, Ga., led UNC in birdies. He made five today plus one bogey and two double bogeys. He began his day with birdies on the 11^th and 14^th holes (UNC began on the back nine) then was 2 over par with three holes to play. The ACC Freshman of the Year converted birdies on the par-5 seventh and par-4 ninth holes to end up even on the round.

"David (Ford) made two double bogeys and still shot 70," says DiBitetto. "He kept his composure and stayed patient. He made double on the sixth late in his round then came back with a brilliant birdie on number seven which is one of, if not the, hardest holes out here."

Gerard was 1 over on the back nine to begin his round then 1 under on the homeward side, making birdies on the first hole, which played as the third-hardest hole Saturday, and the 562-yard, par-5 fourth.

Austin Greaser was 2-over 72 and Peter Fountain shot 82.

The top 15 in the 30-team field after Sunday's third round advance to the fourth and final rounds of stroke play Monday. The top eight teams after Monday's round advance to the quarterfinals of match play on Tuesday.