OC senior Preston Wilkins, shown teeing off on the No. 13 hole at Ypsilon Golf Resort during the second round of the World University Golf Championship, shot a 1-under 71 during the third round on Thursday.
LIBEREC, Czech Republic (July 5, 2012) – Oklahoma Christian golfers Preston Wilkins and Logan Herbst remained in the top 15 in the individual race, while their U.S. team remained seventh on Thursday after the third round of the 14th World University Golf Championship.
Wilkins shot a 1-under-par 71 in hot, humid conditions at Ypsilon Golf Resort and was ninth at 8-under 208 for the tournament, eight shots behind the leader, Philip Eriksson of Sweden. Herbst fired a 70 and was at 6-under 210, tied for 14th.
OC junior Vilhelm Bogstrand, playing for his home nation of Norway, shot a 75 and dropped into a tie for 34th at even-par 216. Former OC golfer Tor-Erik Knudsen, also playing for Norway, posted a 76 and was tied for 40th at 2-over 218.
The U.S. team posted a 211 score Thursday for a three-round total of 634, tied with Canada for seventh. Spain, with a 605 score, held a commanding lead. Ireland (628) was second, followed by Sweden (629), Chinese Taipei (630), Great Britain (632), South Korea (633), the U.S. and Canada, France (638) and Italy (639). Norway was 14th at 657.
Wilkins, a junior from Tulsa, Okla., has played in the World University Golf Championship as the U.S. individual entrant, meaning his score doesn’t count toward the U.S. team total. Herbst, a junior from Fairview, Okla., and True Graves of Odessa (Texas) College each shot a 70, while Josh Manske of Grand View (Iowa) fired a 71 and Mitch Tucker of Indian Hills (Iowa) Community College posted a 75.
“I thought we played steady,” said OC coach David Lynn, who is serving as the co-coach of the U.S. team. “We just haven’t had anybody step up and shoot that low round to get the team going. I am looking for that tomorrow. We will be around the medal position but we will need our best effort of the championship.”
The tournament, which includes teams from 19 nations, will end Friday.
