AMARILLO, Texas – Sophomores Matt Vearncombe and Hugo Duquaine led a late second-round charge on Monday that helped the No. 1-ranked Hutchinson Community College men’s golf team turn around an early nine-stroke deficit into an eight-stroke lead after two rounds of the West Texas A&M Ryan Palmer Classic at the Par-71 Amarillo Country Club.
Vearncombe and Duquaine combined for nine birdies over the final 10 holes as the Blue Dragons rushed past both Midwestern State and Oklahoma Christian with a 36-hole total of 17-under 551. The final round tees off at 10:20 a.m. on Tuesday.
The Blue Dragons shot an opening round 279, but trailed Oklahoma Christian by nine strokes. Midwestern State shot a 281 in the opening round. Hutchinson got hot over the final 10 holes and finished with a 12-under 272 to take the team lead. Midwestern State shot a second-round 278 and Oklahoma Christian shot a 289.
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Individually, four Blue Dragon players are in the Top 12.
Vearncombe and Duquaine are tied for third at 5-under 137. They trail individual leader Braden Stokes of UT-Tyler by two strokes.
Vearncombe shot a collegiate-low 69 in the opening round and topped that with a career-best 68 in the second round. Vearncombe had five birdies over his final 10 holes on Monday.
Duquaine opened with a 70 and followed with a 67 with four birdies over his final 10 holes.
Freshman Grant Labuschagne shot an even-par 71 in the first round and scored six birdies and only one double-bogey in a round of 67 to finish at 4-under 138, which is tied for seventh.
Sophomore Grant Hatzenbuehler is tied for 12th with rounds of 69 and 70 to finish at 3-under 136.
Freshman Harry Richmond is tied for 34th at 2-over 144 after back-to-back 72s on Monday.
Individual player Joe Austin had rounds of 71 and 72 to finish at 1-over 143, which is tied for 32nd.
