LA QUINTA, Calif. – Grant Renegar shot a season-low 68 in his second 18 of the day on Monday to lead the FGCU men's golf team as the Eagles are alone in 8th place at Loyola Marymount's Geiberger Invitational entering Tuesday's final round.
 
After shooting an even-par 72 in the 1st round at the 7,204-yard PGA West Nicklaus Tournament Course, Renegar (McComb, Miss./Meridian CC/Parklane Academy) recorded a 4-under performance in the afternoon and is tied for 2nd overall out of 70 golfers with a 140 total.
 
Renegar's improvement ran parallel to FGCU's as the Green and Blue recorded an opening-round 299 before posting a 2nd-round 286 to ink a 585 total (+9). That score is just five shots behind 5th-place Cal Poly (580, +4). Fresno State leads the 12-team field with a 567 (-9), two strokes clear of host LMU (569, -7).
 
"It was a tough opening round, but I'm proud of the way that the guys bounced back in the afternoon," commented FGCU head coach Eric Booker. "Grant played really well, and the round could have been even better if not for one hole. Cole (Castro) also put together a strong under-par 2nd round. Hopefully we can continue our quality play into Tuesday's final round as we've got a good chance to move up the leaderboard quickly as jumbled as it is just ahead of us."
 
Each of FGCU's four counting scores in the 2nd round came from players who had higher scores in the 1st round, paced by five-shot improvements from both Cole Castro and Michael Keymont. Castro (Homestead, Fla./South Dade HS) signed for rounds of 76-71 (147, +3), with the 1-under 2nd-round performance representing the freshman's sixth par-or-better round of the year. Keymont (Orlando, Fla./Eastern Florida State College/Timber Creek) opened with a 79 before bouncing back with a 74 (153 total, +9).
 
Andrew Potter (Naples, Fla./Community School of Naples) is just one stroke behind Castro after consistent rounds of 75-73 (148, +4). Doug Smith (Windermere, Fla./Olympia HS) rounded out the FGCU scoring with a 76-79 (155, +11).
 
Renegar made three birdies and three bogeys in his 1st round before getting off to a torrid start in the 2nd round. Starting on the back 9, he birdied 10 and 11 before holing out on the par-4, 442-yard 14th for eagle. He then closed his opening 9 with birdies on 16, 17 and 18 to go out in an incredible 29 (-7). Renegar made a bogey on the par-3 3rd, but got that back on the next hole with a birdie before unfortunately suffering a triple bogey on the par-3 8th to close out the round.
 
Competing on the West Coast for the first time since the fall of 2014, FGCU tore up the par 5s, collectively playing them in 15-under par through the first two rounds. In addition to Renegar's eagle on the par 4, Keymont made an eagle on the par-5 11th. Renegar took advantage of the par 4s, playing those in 4-under par over the 36 holes.
 
Final-round action is set to commence on Tuesday morning. Live scoring and pairings/tee times will be available on Golfstat by clicking here.
 
FGCU Lineup Scores
T-2) Grant Renegar: 72-68: 140 (-4)
33) Cole Castro: 76-71: 147 (+3)
T-34) Andrew Potter: 75-73: 148 (+4)
T-54) Michael Keymont: 79-74: 153 (+9)
T-58) Doug Smith: 76-79: 155 (+11)
 
Geiberger Invitational Competing Teams (# Golfstat Ranking)
1) #106 Fresno State: 291-276: 567 (-9)
2) #117 Loyola Marymount: 289-280: 569 (-7)
3) #49 Santa Clara: 296-276: 572 (-4)
4) #38 BYU: 290-284: 574 (-2)
5) #139 Cal Poly: 294-286: 580 (+4)
6) #154 Pacific: 295-286: 581 (+5)
7) #113 UC Santa Barbara: 290-292: 582 (+6)
8) #180 FGCU: 299-286: 585 (+9)
9) #138 San Diego: 291-296: 587 (+11)
10) #197 Cal State Northridge: 297-297: 594 (+18)
11) #245 Stetson: 310-294: 604 (+28)
12) #59 Menlo (NAIA): 300-325: 625 (+49)
 
FOLLOW ALONG
For schedule updates, news and information, visit FGCUAthletics.com. For the latest news and behind-the-scenes access to information, photos and videos, follow @FGCU_MGolf on Twitter and @FGCU_MGolf on Instagram.
 
COACH BOOKER
FGCU is led by 4th-year coach Eric Booker, a member of the PGA Tour and Web.com Tour (formerly the Nationwide Series) for portions of 17 years from 1990-2007. He has led the Eagles to a pair of wins in limited-field events the last two years, in addition to a tie for 1st at Stetson's Legacy Intercollegiate in February of 2018. Booker finished in the top 5 three times in tournaments on the PGA Tour, and also played in the U.S. Open and PGA Championship. He played in 62 career events on the PGA Tour, with his best finish being a tie for 3rd at the 1999 Honda Classic.
 
HELP THE CAUSE
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.