Houston Keeps C-USA Men's Golf Lead After Two Rounds

NAVARRE, Fla. - Defending Conference USA men's golf champion Houston Tuesday increased its lead to seven strokes after two rounds of the 54-hole 2000 C-USA Championship being hosted here by The Navarre Beach Committee and played at The Club at Hidden Creek.

The Cougars followed Monday's 3-under-par 285 team total with a one-over-par 289 second round and lead South Florida (289-302), Louisville (297-294) and UAB (292-299), all three tied at 591, seven shots behind Houston.

Each of the 12 league schools taking part in the event play five golfers, and count the top four scores. The Cougars won last year's championship by 27 strokes over runner-up UNC Charlotte.

UAB's Tyrol Auret, who posted the best individual round of the first day with a 3-under-par 69 over the par 72, 6,795 yard layout, turned in a 10-over-par 82 in the second round, leaving second day leader honors to 1999 tournament medalist, Andy Sanders of Houston, who had a one-under-par 71 to go with his opening 70 for a two-day 141 total. He leads teammate Wade Ormsby (70-72) by a stroke in the medalist race. Ormsby finished fifth in the medalist race at last year's championship.

UNCC (299-300-599) and Tulane (306-293-599) are tied for fifth place while DePaul (302-298-600), Cincinnati (305-298-603), Southern Miss (309-297-606) and Memphis (299-308-607) are seventh through 10th respectively. Marquette (312-302-614) and Saint Louis (308-306-614) are tied for 11th. Tulane cut 13 strokes of its first day total, while Southern Miss was 12 strokes under its first day total.

In the medalist race, DePaul's Michael O'Connel carded a one-under-par 71 and is one shot out of second place at 143. Cincinnati's Nick Lykins (73-72-145), UAB's Chris Devlin (72-73-145) and Houston's James Edmondson (72-73-145) are tied for fourth. Louisville's Chris Campbell (74-72-146) and Houston's B. J. Staten (73-73-146) are tied for seventh and nine other players are tied for ninth at 147.