BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Senior Guillaume Fanonnel fired a second-round 5-under-par 67 to surge into second place at 5-under-par 139 (72-67) following the first day of the Graeme McDowell Invitational Tuesday at Greystone Country Club Founders Course.
Fellow senior Andoni Etchenique joined Fanonnel in the red numbers with a 1-under-par 143 (71-72) in Tuesday's two rounds to help push the Warhawks into a tie for fourth place at 1-under-par 575 (283-292). The Warhawks are tied with Middle Tennessee State. Georgia Southern leads the tournament at 10-under-par 566 (280-286).
Fanonnel played a steady opening round on Tuesday. Starting on the 10th hole, he picked up three first-round birdies on the par-4 16th, the par-5 second and the par-4 eighth holes. He added 13 pars in the round to shoot an even-par 72. In the second round, Fanonnel caught fire with six birdies. He opened with four birdies on the back nine, starting with the par-3 10th, par-5 15th, 16th and par-5 18th holes. He closed the round on the front nine with birdies on the par-4 first and par-4 sixth holes. He picked up 11 pars to finish the round at 5-under-par 67 to enter the Wednesday's third-and-final round one shot behind Georgia Southern's Mason Williams, who leads the tournament at 6-under-par 138 (68-70).
Etchenique is in 12th place following the opening day. He had a steady first round, picking up birdies on the par-4 11th and par-5 second holes and earning 15 pars to finish at 1-under-par 71. In the second round, Etchenique used three birdies on the front nine to return to even-par 72 for the round and 1-under-par for the tournament. He birdied the par-4 first, par-5 fifth and par-4 sixth holes while adding 13 pars.
Sophomore Otto Van Buynder is tied for 29th at 4-over-par 148 (73-75). Van Buynder drained birdies on the par-5 13th, par-5 18th and par-3 seventh and knocked down 11 pars for a 1-over-par 73. In the second round, Van Buynder had just one birdie, on the 13th, and added 13 pars for a 3-over-par 75.
Freshmen Melan Dhaubhadel and Cody Winkler tied for the last scoring spot for ULM at 5-over-par 149. Both freshmen had strong first rounds but followed with a tough second round.
Dhaubhadel (71-78) picked up a pair of birdies in the opening round on the par-5 13th and the par-4 third to shoot a 1-under-par 71. In the second round, he added birdies on the 13th and par-5 15th. He picked up nine pars to tally a 6-over-par 78.
Winkler (69-80), who is making his collegiate debut, opened fast. He drained three birdies in his first nine holes, going under par on the par-3 10th, par-5 13th and par-5 18th. He added birdies on the par-3 fourth and par-4 ninth to close the first round at 3-under-par 69. In the second round, Winkler birdied the 13th and had nine pars to shoot an 8-over-par 80.
Sophomore Keegan McLachlan had a two-round total of 159 (77-82). In the first round, McLachlan birdied a pair of par-3 holes, the 14th and 17th, to go with 11 pars. In the second round, he birdied the par-4 16th, par-5 18th and par-4 eighth holes to add to his nine pars.
The Warhawks wrap up the Graeme McDowell Invitational Wednesday morning. A link to live scoring is available at ULMWarhawks.com.
