May 19, 2006

ORLANDO, Fla. - Wake Forest, needing to finish in the top 10 to advance to the NCAA Championships, is in third place with just 18 holes remaining at the NCAA East Regional. The 16th-ranked Demon Deacons, paced by three golfers in the top 20, are just three strokes out of first place heading into Saturday's final round.

Wake Forest, seeded eighth, trails first-place and defending NCAA champion Georgia by three strokes and second-place UNLV by one stroke after shooting a combined 8-over par 296 today at the par 72, 7,179-yard Lake Nona Golf Club. None of the 27 teams competing were able to break par.

The top 10 teams advance to the NCAA Championship May 31-June 3 in Sunriver, Ore.

The Demon Deacons are getting solid play from junior Sean Moore, senior Kyle Reifers and sophomore Webb Simpson. Moore slipped to a 2-over 74 today, but is 2-under for the tournament and he is alone in seventh place. Reifers was one of just nine individuals to break par today, shooting a 1-under 71, to move into a four-way tie for eighth place. Simpson, who shot a 77 today, is 3-over for through 36 holes and tied for 19th place.

Wake Forest senior Doug Manchester and sophomore Chris McCartin are tied for 71st place (out of 140). Both players are at 8-over par for the tournament.

The Deacons are one stroke in front of Texas Tech (+6), the fourth-place team, followed by North Carolina (+9), Coastal Carolina (+13) and Charlotte (+13).

Moore is just three strokes out of the individual lead held by Southern California's Taylor Wood, who shot a sizzling 69 today and is 5-under par through 36 holes. North Carolina's Jonathan Jackson and UNLV's Jarred Texter are one shot back and tied for second place.

Wake Forest, which won the East Regional last year, is looking for its 42nd berth into the NCAA Championship.

TEAM STANDINGS Georgia 284-294--578 (+2) UNLV 287-293--580 (+4) Wake Forest 285-296--581 (+5) Texas Tech 289-293--582 (+6) North Carolina 294-291--585 (+9) Coastal Carolina 301-288--589 (+13) Charlotte 299-290--589 (+13) Auburn 296-294--590 (+14) Southern California 298-294--592 (+16) UCLA 292-300--592 (+16) Georgia State 298-298--596 (+20) South Carolina 304-293--597 (+21) Rhode Island 288-313--601 (+25) Georgia Southern 295-307--602 (+26) Jacksonville 297-305--602 (+26) Tennessee 310-293--603 (+27) Indiana 299-305--604 (+28) Notre Dame 300-308--608 (+32) Florida State 302-308--610 (+34) Liberty 311-303--613 (+37) Western Illinois 298-315--613 (+37) George Washington 307-307--614 (+38) Maryland 305-312--617 (+41) Richmond 309-316--625 (+49) Wichita State 311-315--626 (+50) Binghamton 312-324--636 (+60) Army 314-326--640 (+64)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS 1 Taylor Wood, Southern California 70-69--139 (-5) 2 Jonathan Jackson, North Carolina 66-74--140 (-4) 2 Jarred Texter, UNLV 70-70--140 (-4) 4 Oscar Floren, Texas Tech 71-70--141 (-3) 4 Brendon Todd, Georgia 67-74--141 (-3)

WAKE FOREST SCORES 7 Sean Moore 68-74--142 (-2) 8 Kyle Reifers 72-71--143 (-1) 19 Webb Simpson 70-77--143 (+3)) 71 Doug Manchester 75-77--152 (+8) 71 Chris McCartin 78-74--152 (+8)