Spiders Storm to Lead at A-10 Championship
04/23/2025 | Men's Golf
ORLANDO, Fla. — Career rounds from Patrick Isztwan (5-under 67) and Jack LaPiana (4-under 68) pulled the Spiders into the 36-hole lead at the Atlantic 10 Men's Golf Championship Wednesday. Richmond combined to shoot an 11-under 277 in Round 2, matching the seventh-best round in program history and besting every other team in the field by at least eight shots. With Thursday's final round remaining, Richmond is at 10-under par (566), five shots in front of second-place Davidson (-5) and seven in front of third-place Dayton (-3). Every other team in the 12-team field is over par.
"We've known all year that if we play our game we can compete with a lot of teams," said Isztwan after carding one bogey, four birdies, and one eagle (on the par-4 14th hole) to equal the lowest round to par of his four-year collegiate career.
"I just played really smart and made a couple more putts than yesterday," he added. "I was able to avoid big numbers and put the ball on the green and make a lot of pars."
Isztwan moved 17 spots up the individual leaderboard into a tie for fifth at 3-under par (141).
LaPiana, a sophomore, began his round with back-to-back birdies and ended it with three birdies in his final four holes to register the best score in his 39 career collegiate rounds. His 4-under 68 moved him into a tie for 15th at 1-over par (145).
"Incredible timing. That's a pretty special day to have two guys with a career-low round," said Spiders coach Adam Decker. ""I think we've been saying it all year that the team is so deep that anybody can step up on a given day and be the low guy."
The top two Spiders on the individual leaderboard are senior Cole Ekert and freshman Carson Baez, who are tied for third at 4-under par (140), three shots behind 36-hole leader Ben Cors from Dayton. Ekert played his final seven holes in 4-under par Saturday, finishing with a 25-foot birdie putt on the difficult par-4 18th hole. He will be seeking his third straight top-five finish at this event Thursday.
Baez, the 18-hole leader, battled to an even-par 72. He made par on 10 of his final 11 holes, a stretch that was interrupted only by an eagle on the par-5 15th hole.
Sophomore Quin Polin shot a 3-over 75 Wednesday and is tied for 36th at 8-over par (152).
Richmond's 11-under team score Wednesday matched its lowest round of the spring, an 11-under in the first round of the Loyola Intercollegiate on February 16. The Spiders would go on to win that event.
"We're trying to actually get away from golf this afternoon," said Decker. "But what we talked about right after the round is to keep today in perspective. It was a great day, a great end to the second round. But the job's not finished."
UR will begin Thursday's final round at 8:15 AM on the 1st tee, paired with Davidson and Dayton. Richmond will be seeking its second A-10 title and first since 2017.
"We've known all year that if we play our game we can compete with a lot of teams," said Isztwan after carding one bogey, four birdies, and one eagle (on the par-4 14th hole) to equal the lowest round to par of his four-year collegiate career.
"I just played really smart and made a couple more putts than yesterday," he added. "I was able to avoid big numbers and put the ball on the green and make a lot of pars."
Isztwan moved 17 spots up the individual leaderboard into a tie for fifth at 3-under par (141).
LaPiana, a sophomore, began his round with back-to-back birdies and ended it with three birdies in his final four holes to register the best score in his 39 career collegiate rounds. His 4-under 68 moved him into a tie for 15th at 1-over par (145).
"Incredible timing. That's a pretty special day to have two guys with a career-low round," said Spiders coach Adam Decker. ""I think we've been saying it all year that the team is so deep that anybody can step up on a given day and be the low guy."
The top two Spiders on the individual leaderboard are senior Cole Ekert and freshman Carson Baez, who are tied for third at 4-under par (140), three shots behind 36-hole leader Ben Cors from Dayton. Ekert played his final seven holes in 4-under par Saturday, finishing with a 25-foot birdie putt on the difficult par-4 18th hole. He will be seeking his third straight top-five finish at this event Thursday.
Baez, the 18-hole leader, battled to an even-par 72. He made par on 10 of his final 11 holes, a stretch that was interrupted only by an eagle on the par-5 15th hole.
Sophomore Quin Polin shot a 3-over 75 Wednesday and is tied for 36th at 8-over par (152).
Richmond's 11-under team score Wednesday matched its lowest round of the spring, an 11-under in the first round of the Loyola Intercollegiate on February 16. The Spiders would go on to win that event.
"We're trying to actually get away from golf this afternoon," said Decker. "But what we talked about right after the round is to keep today in perspective. It was a great day, a great end to the second round. But the job's not finished."
UR will begin Thursday's final round at 8:15 AM on the 1st tee, paired with Davidson and Dayton. Richmond will be seeking its second A-10 title and first since 2017.
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