Baker, Hamblin Pace ISU on Day One

HOUSTON, Texas ? The Iowa State men's golf team finished two rounds at the All-American Intercollegiate Invitational Tournament Monday in its second spring event. The Cyclones improved in the second round, posting a team score of 291 but a strong field has ISU in seventh out of 11 schools. Kansas has taken the early lead but a blistering second-round total of 284 has Houston breathing down its back along with a consistent Middle Tennessee State club. Third-ranked Lamar is tied with Southeastern Louisiana for fourth at 587. Gary Woodland from Kansas is leading the individual race followed closely by Houston's Jordan Irwin and Middle Tennessee State's Chas Narramore.

Junior Chris Baker returned to the starting lineup after missing the GADO North Texas Classic and showed he still had the form that helped him earn three top-10 finishes during the fall campaign. Baker is tied with teammate Rodney Hamblin, Dawie VanDerWalt (Lamar), the tournament's highest-ranked player, and five others for 16th place after shooting a two-round score of 148. The Brownsville, Ind., native, rebounded after a first round of 77 to fire a 71 in the second round.

Hamblin, the team's lone senior in the starting lineup, matched Baker's score in the same fashion, opening with a 77 and finishing strong with a 71. Hamblin and Baker are at 4-over par and trail four others by just one stroke.

Cedric Bertin was strong in his first two rounds, posting a 149 and figuring into the mix at 24th with several big names including Pablo Acuna from Houston. Bertin had an impressive spring debut, finishing in a tie for 23rd in Guadalajara. The Bruz, France, native dropped his second-round score to 73 after carding a first-round total of 76.

Joe Cermak and Cameron White, ISU's top two finishers at the GADO North Texas Classic, are in a tie for 33rd.

Tomorrow's final round will begin at 8 a.m.

Team Standings
1. Kansas, 296-288=584
2. Middle Tennessee State, 296-290=586
Houston, 302-284=586
4. Lamar, 296-291=587
Southeastern Louisiana, 294-293=587
6. Louisiana-Lafayette, 300-290=590
7. Iowa State, 302-291=593
8. Jacksonville State, 298-296=594
9. North Texas, 299-296=595
10. Colorado, 303-299=602
11. Wyoming, 318-315=633

ISU Results
T16 ? Chris Baker ? 77-71?148
T16 ? Rodney Hamblin ? 77-71?148
T24 ? Cedric Bertin ? 76-73?149
T33 ? Joe Cermak ? 75-76?151
T33 ? Cameron White ? 75-76--151

Players Mentioned

Chris Baker

Cedric Bertin

Joe Cermak

Rodney Hamblin

Cameron White

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics