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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Ex-Punahou athlete Alex Ching leading NCAA golf as round is suspended


Advertiser Staff and News Services

Former Punahou School athlete and San Diego golfer Alex Ching is the leader on the course at 6-under overall in the NCAA Division I men’s golf championships in Toledo, Ohio.

Ching, who shot a 1-under 70 on Tuesday, was 5-under through 11 holes before darkness suspended his round.
Rain delayed play for slightly more than four hours Wednesday and golfers, such as Ching, will have to complete their second round early Thursday before playing their third and final round of medal play.
In this new format, an individual champion will be determined after 54 holes. Those 54 holes also will cut the field to a final eight teams for match play to determine the team title. The teams will then play quarterfinal and semifinal matches on Friday, with the championship match set to start for Saturday.
Ching got off to a hot start with three birdies and an eagle on the par-5, 569-yard No. 8 hole to make the turn at 5-under 30. He parred the next two holes before the round was called.
Michigan’s Alexander Sitompul was 5-under through 10 holes and 4-under overall.
The clubhouse leaders are North Carolina State’s Matt Hill and Georgia’s Russell Henley, who are at 4-under 138.
Hill, who qualified as an individual and co-leader after the opening 18 holes, eagled his next-to-last hole while shooting a second consecutive 2-under 69.
“I don’t have to worry about my team at all, so maybe there’s a little less pressure,” said Hill. “But at the same time, when I’m out there I usually try to worry about myself because you can’t worry about the team. So it’s pretty much the same thing, maybe a little less pressure.”
Henley followed a 71 with a 67 to lead the Bulldogs. Georgia had a 1-over 573 total through 36 holes, leaving it five shots behind Oklahoma State.
Bronson Burgoon of Texas A&M shot a 67 and was a shot behind Hill and Henley at 3-under 139. Arizona State’s Scott Pinckney had a 67 and was at 140 along with Washington’s Nick Taylor, who shot his second straight 70.