March 15, 2008

STATESBORO, Ga. - Junior Zach Sucher and senior Brad Smith are each among the six golfers tied for the overall lead through two rounds of the 29th annual Schenkel E-Z-GO Invitational. Thanks in large part to the twosome's performance, the No. 25 ranked UAB men's golf team stands in fifth overall entering Sunday's third and final round in the 18-team field.

The event is one that features eight teams ranked in the top-25 and 12 ranked among the top-50 in the nation in the latest national poll.

"It's great to have Brad and Zach at the top of the leaderboard," UAB head coach Alan Kaufman said. "As a team, we continue to play well. This is one of the best fields we will play against all year and we are competing against some of the top teams in the nation. We can still move up one or two spots, but have to continue to play well."

Following an opening round two-under par 286 on Saturday, the Blazers carded a one-over par 289 on the par-72, 6,962-yard Forest Heights Country Club. UAB will enter the final round of the three-day 54-hole event at 575 overall, just four strokes behind fourth-place No. 13 Tennessee (282289/571) and just six back of third-place, No. 10 Florida (290-279/569). The nation's top-ranked team in Alabama leads the field with an eight-under 565 (285-280), while No. 15 South Carolina is in second with a seven-under 567.

Sucher (68-71) and Smith (70-69) are tied with South Carolina's George Bryan IV (73-66), Florida's Billy Horschel (72-67) and Manuel Villegas (72-67) and Alabama's Matthew Swan (71-68) at five-under par 139.

Smith entered the day in a tie for seventh, but his team-low mark of 69 included three birdies with only one bogey, and vaulted the Hawthorn, Australia native into a tie for the overall lead. Meanwhile, Sucher recorded four birdies and three bogeys to arrive at one-under par 71 during the second round.

Both players have already captured one tournament medalist honor each this season. Smith was the co-medalist at the 2007 Shoal Creek Intercollegiate, while Sucher earned his individual crown at the 2008 SunTrust Gator Invitational.

Junior Mike Oimoen is in a tie for 32nd overall with a two-over par 146, after recording a pair of 73s during the opening two round. Sophomore Blake West is in 63rd overall with a seven-over par 151 (75-76), while senior Kyle Sapp rounds out UAB with an eight-over 152 (76-76).

The third and final round play begins on Sundaty, March 16, with the Blazers teeing off at 8:45 a.m. CT. Live stats can be followed on golfstat.com.