Gentry Scheve and Harry Crockett both fired rounds of 71 to help Nebraska climb the team standings through two rounds of the Big Ten Men's Golf Championship presented by Old National Bank in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday.
Scheve, a senior from Emporia, Kan., recorded five birdies and seven pars against six bogeys in his second-round 71 (+1) to vault 34 spots up the individual leader board into a tie for 16th at 147 (+7) through 36 holes on the par-70, 7,240-yard layout of the Scioto Country Club. Scheve made the biggest move of any golfer in the field during the second round.
Crockett bounced back from his worst round of the season (83) on Friday, by carding one birdie and 15 pars while taking just two bogeys to complete his 71 (+1). Crockett, a junior from Oxted, England, jumped from 70th into a tie for 49th at 154 (+14) in the 70-player field through two rounds.
Will Marshall and Davis Johnson, who put up Nebraska top two rounds on Friday, added counting rounds to the Husker team score on Saturday with 78s. Marshall, a fifth-year senior from Elburn, Ill., enters Sunday's final round in a tie for 33rd at 151 (+11). Johnson, a sophomore from Chaska, Minn., sits in a tie for 44th at 153 (+13).
Junior Hamish Murray (Sydney, Australia) completed the Nebraska contingent with an 80 on Saturday to head to the final round tied for 58th at 156 (+16).
As a team, Nebraska put up Saturday's fifth-best round with a 298 (+18) to add to Friday's 300 (+20). The Huskers moved up from 12th to eighth place at 598 (+38) through 36 holes, pushing past Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota and Penn State while remaining ahead of Michigan and Maryland in the team standings.
Northwestern maintained its hold on the top spot in the team standings with a 294 (+14) on Saturday. The Wildcats, who carry a two-round total of 574 (+14), own a three-stroke lead over Michigan State. The Spartans gained three shots on the Cats with a 291 on Saturday, and enter Sunday's final round at 577 (+17).
Illinois (586), Ohio State (588) and Purdue (589) round out the top five all within striking distance of the Huskers, along with Wisconsin (593) and Rutgers (597). The Scarlet Knights sit just one shot ahead of the Big Red.
Michigan State's Ashton McCulloch took over the lead in the individual standings with a 69 (-1) on Saturday to close the first 36 holes at 140 (E). McCulloch carries a one-shot edge over first-round leader and teammate August Meekhof, who settled for a 74 on Saturday after firing an opening-round 67.
Jackson Buchanan from Illinois and Northwestern's James Imai are tied for third at 142 (+2).
Sunday's final round will get underway with tee times at 7 a.m., with live scoring available on Huskers.com from GolfStat.
Big Ten Championship
April 26-28, 2024
Columbus, Ohio
Scioto Country Club (Par 70, 7,240 Yards)
Team Standings (Second Round)
1. Northwestern - 280-294=574 (+14)
2. Michigan State - 286-291=577 (+17)
3. Illinois - 290-296=586 (+26)
4. Ohio State - 291-297=588 (+28)
5. Purdue - 288-301=589 (+29)
6. Wisconsin - 290-303=693 (+33)
7. Rutgers - 292-305=597 (+37)
8. Nebraska - 300-298=598 (+38)
9. Indiana - 290-309=599 (+39)
10. Penn State - 294-306=600 (+40)
11. Iowa - 294-310=604 (+44)
T12. Michigan - 305-304=609 (+49)
T12. Minnesota - 293-316=609 (+49)
14. Maryland - 307-316=623 (+63)
Individual Standings (Second Round)
1. Ashton McCulloch, Michigan State - 71-69=140 (E)
2. August Meekhof, Michigan State - 67-74=141 (+1)
T3. Jackson Buchanan, Illinois - 71-71=142 (+2)
T3. James Imai, Northwestern - 68-74=142 (+2)
T5. Neal Shipley, Ohio State - 74-69=143 (+3)
T5. Thomas Hursey, Indiana - 70-73=143 (+3)
T5. Daniel Svard, Northwestern - 68-75=143 (+3)
T8. Cameron Adam, Northwestern - 73-71=144 (+4)
T8. Jacob Beckman, Wisconsin - 70-74=144 (+4)
T10. Herman Sekne, Purdue - 73-72=145 (+5)
T10. Ethan Tseng, Northwestern - 71-74=145 (+5)
T10. Kent Hsaio, Purdue - 70-75=145 (+5)
Nebraska Individuals
T16. Gentry Scheve - 76-71=147 (+7)
T33. Will Marshall - 73-78=151 (+11)
T44. Davis Johnson - 75-78=153 (+13)
T49. Harry Crockett - 83-71=154 (+14)
T58. Hamish Murray - 76-80=156 (+16)