CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – After a strong opening round performance, the Little Rock men's golf team turned up the heat on Monday at Dalhousie Golf Club, firing a second-round 278 (-10) to push its lead to seven strokes heading into the final day of stroke play at the 2025 OVC Championship. With the top four teams advancing to match play on Tuesday, the Trojans are in prime position to secure a spot and make a title run.
LEADERBOARD | TEE TIMES | PHOTOS
"Today went well obviously for me individually just matched up a few things that all came together to produce a good round. For the team we are in a good spot just gotta continue believing and staying patient for the golf we have left."- Rhett South on Day 2 of tthe OVC Championship.
Little Rock entered the day with a six-shot advantage and widened the gap thanks to consistent scoring across the board, including a lights-out performance from sophomore Rhett South, who fired a tournament-low 65 (-7) to jump into solo first on the individual leaderboard.
South's round was nothing short of dominant, going bogey-free on the back nine and pouring in seven birdies to seize control at 7-under for the tournament.
Also making waves was Freddie Turnell, who continued his hot play with a 2-under 70. Turnell sits third overall at 5-under through 36 holes, putting himself in the thick of the individual title hunt.
Matteo Cristoni posted a steady 71 (-1), highlighted by three birdies on the back nine. At 4-under overall, Cristoni remains a key scoring anchor for the Trojans. Meanwhile, Ed Featherstone delivered a crucial even-par 72, grinding through tough conditions to remain even for the championship and well inside the top 25.
Archie Smith carded a 73 (+1) in the second round, battling back on the back nine with birdies on 13 and 18 to steady his round. The senior now sits at +1 overall.
As a team, Little Rock's two-round total of 560 (-16) positions them firmly at the top of the 11-team field. With match play looming, the Trojans are on track to not only qualify but do so as the clear front-runner.
The final round of stroke play tees off Tuesday morning at Dalhousie, with the Trojans beginning att 10:20 a.m.. Little Rock will look to close strong and carry momentum into Wednesday's match play showdown.
Team Leaderboard:
1 Little Rock -16
T2 Tennessee-Martin -7
T2 Lindenwood -7
4 Morehead State -4
T5 Southern Indiana +6
T5 SIU Edwardsville +6
T7 Western Illinois +19
T7 Tennessee State +19
9 Bryant +22
10 Tennessee Tech +24
11 Eastern Illinois +35
Trojan Scorecard:
1. Rhett South (-7)
T3. Freddie Turnell (-5)
T5. Matteo Cristoni (-4)
T16. Archie Smith (+1)
27.Ed Featherstone (+4)
For the latest information on Little Rock Men's Golf, make sure to check out LRTrojans.com. You can also find the team on social media at @LittleRockMensGolf on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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