AIKEN, S.C. – Ben Carroll was the top Charleston Southern individual Monday during the first-36 holes of play at the prestigious Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate, scoring a 69-72—141 (+1) to hold a spot among the Top-10 individuals at the Palmetto Golf Club across the state in Aiken.

CARROLL GOES UNDER PAR FOR FIRST 18
The redshirt sophomore from Blacksburg, Virginia, opened his day with a 1-under par 69 with four birdies during his first trip around the course. He opened with a birdie on the par-4, 458-yard No. 5 before making three-in-a-row once he hit the back nine. The stretch started on the par-5, 482-yard No. 10, continued on the par-3, 170-yard No. 11 and concluded with the par-4, 448-yard No. 12 to get to 2-under. Over his final-10 holes, he had nine pars, including two spans of four-consecutive holes, with one bogey on his way to his third sub-70 score of the season.

He stayed consistent during the second round, opening with three-straight pars and four among his first-five holes. He found success again on No. 10, registering the only eagle of the day for the Buccaneers. He weathered some bogies over the next-six holes but managed to birdie the par-4, 423-yard No. 13 and par-5, 550-yard No. 14 to stay one stroke under par. He was Even when heading to No. 1 before wrapping up his solid day with a birdie on the par-4, 388-yard No. 4 to finish his second round with a 2-over par 72.

WILLIS STARTS STRONG
Another CSU player who was near Even par on the first 18 was Ethan Willis. He wrapped up his first-18 holes with a 1-over par 71, which included four birdies. He dropped in his birdies on the par-4, 458-yard No. 5, No. 10, No. 14 and the par-4, 347-yard No. 1. His longest stretch of consecutive pars included the par-4, 338-yard No. 15, the par-3, 212-yard No. 16 and the par-4, 388-yard No. 17. It's the second-straight round in which he carded a 71, after third-round play at the Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate Feb. 22 in Hilton Head.

Wills contributed five more birdies during second-round play, including another three-in-a-row span on No. 13, No. 14 and No. 15. He added two more, on the par-4, 306-yard No. 18 and No. 1, on his way to a 5-over 75 round.

SMITH; LOUDIN IN MIDDLE OF PACK
The next-two Bucs in the clubhouse are Alan Smith and Caleb Loudin. Smith's day consisted of a 75-74—149 (+9), while Loudin registered a 73-77—150 (+10) as they head to the final round within one stroke of each other.

Smith notched two birdies during his first round, on No. 14 and No. 15, before scoring three more over the next-18 holes when he did so on No. 18, No. 1 and No. 4. He had 19 pars between the two rounds, including both times on his opening hole, the par-3, 180-yard No. 7.

Loudin registered his lone first-round birdies on his first hole of the tournament, the par-4, 441-yard No. 8, and then on No. 14 but his start was boosted by seven-straight pars, from No. 15 through the par-4, 455-yard No. 3.

In the second round, he tallied back-to-back pars before dropping in a birdie on No. 10. He was under par before a rough patch through four holes. He emerged from that with his second birdie, on No. 16. He again started the front with three pars in-a-row before his final birdie of the day on No. 4.

TARVER LOOKS FOR CONSISTENCY
Freshman Griffin Tarver was the final member of the CSU lineup and he sought a consistency throughout his two rounds but still managed to birdie the No. 12, No. 13 and No. 1 holes during his first-round 77. He added two additional birdies on his second trip seeing the course, on No. 10 and No. 18, to finish with a one-stroke improvement, 76.

TOUGH FIELD
Charleston Southern is up against some of its stiffest competition it will face all season, including current team-leader No. 43 South Carolina. Other notable programs in the field include Virginia, VCU, Division II No. 2 and host USC Aiken, Virginia Tech, Samford, Furman and others.

ONE MORE ROUND
The tournament concludes with final-round action Tuesday at the Palmetto Golf Club, established in 1892 and currently the fourth-oldest golf course in the United States.

CHARLESTON SOUTHERN INDIVIDUALS
T8. Ben Carroll, +1 (69-72—141)
T27. Ethan Willis, +6 (71-75—146)
T48. Alan Smith, +9 (75-74—149)
T53. Caleb Loudin, +10 (73-77—150)
T60. Griffin Tarver, +13 (77-76—153)

TEAM STANDINGS
1. No. 43 South Carolina, -3 (275-282—557)
2. Virginia, +7 (287-280—567)
3. VCU, +10 (287-283—570)
4. Wofford, +13 (285-288—573)
5. USC Aiken, +14 (289-285—574)
T6. Virginia Tech, +23 (292-291—583)
T6. Presbyterian, +23 (286-297—583)
8. Gardner-Webb, +24 (291-293—584)
9. Charleston Southern, +25 (288-297—585)
10. Samford, +29 (295-294—589)
T11. Furman, +30 (294-296—590)
T11. Temple, +30 (293-297—590)
13. Francis Marion, +32 (301-291—592)
14. High Point, +36 (287-309—596)
15. Dartmouth, +41 (307-294—601)