The Wake Forest men's golf team made a significant move at the Valspar Collegiate Invitational, climbing four spots to tie for 11th place. With a team score of 560 (-8) through two rounds, they outperformed No. 9 Arizona State and No. 17 UNC. Senior Jakob Melin led the charge with a remarkable second-round score of 66 (-5), propelling him into a tie for 19th place at five-under par. Junior Nicholas Prieto and Kyle Haas also contributed with under-par rounds, showcasing the team's depth and determination.

By the Numbers
  • Wake Forest shot 274 (-10) in the second round, tying for the second-lowest score of the day.
  • Jakob Melin tallied five birdies in his second round, moving up 30 spots in the leaderboard.
Yes, But

Despite the strong performance, Wake Forest remains behind top-tier teams like Auburn and Texas Tech, which may impact their chances of advancing to future tournaments.

State of Play
  • Wake Forest currently ties for 11th alongside Pepperdine after two rounds.
  • The team showed resilience, particularly during the latter part of their second round.
What's Next

The final round begins on March 24 with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m., where the Deacs will face off against Oklahoma, Southern California, and Pepperdine, aiming to improve their standing.

Bottom Line

Wake Forest's impressive second-round performance demonstrates their potential, but they'll need to maintain momentum and continue to secure under-par rounds to compete effectively against elite teams.