Akron Ranks Second at Firestone Invitational, Sunden Leads Field

Monday, September 30

FIRESTONE COUNTRY CLUB | AKRON, OH

36 Holes

University of Akron

Firestone Invitational

Photo by: Ernie Aranyosi

Akron Ranks Second at Firestone Invitational, Sunden Leads Field

September 30 | Men's Golf

The 2019 Firestone Invitational | September 30 - October 1, 2019
Firestone Country Club – North Course | Par 72, 7,125 Yards

Firestone Country Club | Firestone Invitational Information (PDF)

GolfStat: Live Scoring | Leaderboard: Team | Individual | Parings: Rd 1 & Rd 2 | Rd 3 |
Results: Rd 1 PDF | Rd 2 PDF | Final Results

AKRON, Ohio – The Akron men's golf team finally opened the fall season with the 2019 Firestone Invitational and the Zips are currently tied for second place thanks to a second-round surge from junior Fabian Sunden (Sweden) and senior Mitchell McFarland (Wheelersburg, Ohio) on Monday at Firestone Country Club.

Akron registered a 9-under par 567 two-round total fueled by Sunden and McFarland. Sunden led the Zips' first round scoring, along with sophomore Ignacio Puente (Seville, Spain), carding even par 72 scores. But it was Sunden's second round performance that was incredible.

He posted a 6-under par 66 ledger that included seven birdies. He started the round with a par and bogey. From there, Sunden found his groove. After recording three consecutive pars, he recorded back-to-back birdies and finished the front-9 at 1-under. Sunden's back-9 was flawless, carding five birdies and four pars.

Sunden is currently tied for top honors on the players' leaderboard with a 138 (-6) ledger.

Also posting a flawless 9-hole run was McFarland as he started the second round on fire. McFarland carded five birdies in the first seven holes and finished with two par scores for a 31 (-5) start. He opened the back-9 with a birdie and posted three-straight par scores before giving a stroke back to the course. He ended the second round with a birdie en route to a 5-under par 67 effort. McFarland entered a 73 (+1) first-round scorecard and is currently tied at fourth overall with a 140 (-4) tally.

Sophomore Beau Bayerl (Ashland, Ohio) followed in scoring for the Zips, ranking in the Top 10 at ninth overall with 73 (+1) and 70 (-2). He tallied five birdies in round two and opened the event with one birdie.

Freshman Braden Smith (Sterling, Ohio) is 3-over par after 36 holes with a 73-74 – 147, while Puente is 4-over at 72-76 – 148. Braden Smith ranks 25^th and Puente is 34^th, both are tied in those positions.

The Zips also had three players competing as individuals in sophomore Kaleb Smith (Mansfield, Ohio), freshman Cade Kreps (Boardman, Ohio) and freshman Quinn Patterson (Columbus, Ohio). Kaleb Smith is tied at 34^th with 76 (+4) and 72 (E) scores, Kreps and Patterson stand 67^th and 71^st, respectively. Kreps owns a 78-76 – 154 (+10) and Patterson is 71^st with a 80-76 – 156 (+12) total.

First round action was delayed one hour due to rain and wet course conditions at Akron's annual home event.

The 15-team field includes: host Akron, Bowling Green, Dartmouth, Dayton, Drexel, Eastern Michigan, IUPUI, Old Dominion, Ohio, Santa Clara, South Carolina Aiken, Temple, William & Mary, Winthrop and Youngstown State.

South Carolina Aiken stands atop of the team race with 285-281 – 566 (+10), holding a one-stroke lead over the Zips (-9, 290-277 – 567) and Old Dominion (-9, 286-281 – 567). Santa Clara trails the second place teams by eight strokes (-1, 288-287 – 575).

In addition, Temple's Dawson Anders aced hole No. 17 as he ended the second round with a birdie on 16, a hole-in-one on 17 and an eagle on 18.

Final round action at The Firestone Country Club North Course, a par 72 course that spans 7,125 yards, is scheduled for split tee times with players starting on holes No. 1 and 10. Akron is slated to tee off at 10 a.m. starting with Puente and followed by Braden Smith (10:09), Bayerl (10:18), McFarland (10:27) and Sunden (10:36).

Fans can follow the action via GolfStat Live Scoring.

T2 Akron, U. of (-9) 290-277 - 567
T1 Fabian Sundén (-6) 72-66 - 138
T4 Mitchell McFarland (-4) 73-67 - 140
T9 Beau Bayerl (-1) 73-70 - 143
T25 Braden Smith (+3) 73-74 - 147
T34 Ignacio Puente (+4) 72-76 - 148

Top 5 Teams
1 S. Carolina - Aiken 285-281 - 566 (-10)
T2 Akron, U. of 290-277 - 567 (-9)
T2 Old Dominion 286-281 - 567 (-9)
4 4 Santa Clara 288-287 - 575 (-1)
T10 5 Drexel 299-280 - 579 (+3)

Top 5 Players
T1 Fabian Sundén Akron, U. of 72-66 - 138 (-6)
T1 Gustav Fransson Old Dominion 66-72 - 138 (-6)
3 Leonardo Bono S. Carolina - Aiken 68-71 - 139 (-5)
T4 Leo Johansson S. Carolina - Aiken 73-67 - 140 (-4)
T4 Mitchell McFarland Akron, U. of 73-67 - 140 (-4)