East Mississippi’s Daniel Schroeder places seventh at NJCAA Region 23 Golf Championship

SENATOBIA – Another solid back nine during Tuesday's second round lifted East Mississippi Community College's Daniel Schroeder to a seventh-place individual finish at the NJCAA Region 23 Men's Golf Championship played at Back Acres Country Club.

On the heels of Monday's opening-round 74, which included a 1-under 35 on the back nine, Schroeder again recovered from a slow start to fire a 2-under 34 during Tuesday's back nine to finish Round 2 with a 75 and complete the two-day event at 5-over-par 149.  With back-nine birdies on the 13^th and 18^th holes along with seven pars on Tuesday, Schroeder's regional effort came up one shot shy of forcing a potential playoff for a possible individual berth in next month's NJCAA Division II Golf Championship at Swan Lake Resort in Plymouth, Ind.      

For the two days of regional play on the 6,511-yard layout, Schroeder totaled 20 pars, including 15 in back-nine play, five birdies and an eagle to go along with eight bogeys and just two double-bogeys.         

Copiah-Lincoln's Philip Heine maintained his opening-round lead by putting together a second straight even-par 72 en route to earning individual medalist honors with a two-shot victory over Meridian Community College teammates Lance Strickland (73-73—146) and Camden Backel (74-72—146) as well as Grant Motter (74-72—146) of Mississippi Gulf Coast.  MGCCC teammate Colin Troxler (73-74—147) and Meridian's Clayton Gray (75-73—148) finished fifth and sixth, respectively, ahead of Schroeder.  

In the team competition, Meridian (305-293—598) forced a sudden-death playoff with a final-round 293, but the Bulldogs of Mississippi Gulf Coast (299-299—598) won the extra hole by two strokes over the Eagles to claim their ninth consecutive regional team championship.  Co-Lin (306-310—616) finished third followed by East Central (325-324—649) and host Northwest Mississippi (316-337—653).      

Schroeder, who prepped at Parkview Baptist High School in Baton Rouge, La., has signed with the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith.  Last week at Shiloh Ridge in Corinth, Schroeder garnered MACJC State Championship All-Tournament Team honors by finishing in a three-way tie for fourth place at 145 (71-74) along with earning an individual invitation to this week's regional tournament based on his season scoring average.