Updated...........AUBURN TWO STROKES OFF LEAD AT SEC GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS

[augolf1716 21,102]

Good start by the Men's team. Don't really expect them to stay that high at the end but you never know. SEC is not that strong in golf this year except for the turds

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. - Niclas Carlsson, Matt Gilchrest and Jake Mondy all shot 2-under on the back nine as No. 26 Auburn golf stands two shots off the lead and in second place after the first day of the SEC Men's Golf Championships. Auburn is a combined minus-6 on the par-70, 7,005-yard Seaside Course at the Sea Island Golf Club at St. Simons Island, Ga.

"The guys played well in windy conditions in our tee time wave," Auburn head coach Nick Clinard said. "It was tough out there but we have great players that are very talented. This team has prepared all year to win championships and they are fun to coach."

Auburn is in second place by itself, trailing overall leader and top-ranked Alabama (minus-8) and ahead of No. 6 Georgia and No. 24 South Carolina, which are tied for third at minus-3 and are the only other teams under par after the opening round.

Carlsson and Gilchrest each opened the day with birdies on the first hole of the championship. Carlsson would finish the front nine at 1-under and finished the round with five birdies and two bogies. Gilchrest was even-par on the front nine with a pair of birdies and bogeys and then played a bogey-free back nine.

Carlsson stands in a three-way tie for fifth at minus-3, two shots behind leaders Matthew NeSmith of South Carolina and Bobby Wyatt of Alabama, both at minus-5. Gilchrest is in a three-way tie for eighth at minus-2.

Will Long finished the first round at 1-under, playing the front nine at even par and the back nine at one-under, collecting four birdies on the day. Long is tied with four others in 11th place.

Mondy rallied from three bogeys over the first five holes to finish at even-par on the day, sinking birdies on the eighth, 12th, 15th and 16th holes. Mondy is tied with four others for 16th.

Team Standings - Round 1 1. 1 Alabama 272 -8 2. 26 Auburn 274 -6 T3. 6 Georgia 277 -3 T3. 24 South Carolina 277 -3 5. 21 Arkansas 280 E 6. 22 LSU 284 +4 T7. 33 Kentucky 287 +7 T7. 50 Mississippi State 287 +7 T9. Missouri 288 +8 T9. 15 Vanderbilt 288 +8 T9. 16 Texas A&M 288 +8 12. 41 Tennessee 289 +9 T13. Ole Miss 292 +12 T13. Florida 292 +12

[TigerEye24 0]

I've been pleasantly surprised by the men's golf team this year. 3 tournament victories!

[augolf1716 21,102]

Tie for second with USC now with the turds running away with it.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. - Niclas Carlsson is in sixth-place at 4-under par as No. 26 Auburn golf is tied for second after two rounds of the SEC Men’s Golf Championship.

Auburn is minus-5 for the tournament, tied with No. 24 South Carolina, after firing 274-281--555 over the first two days. No. 1 Alabama leads the team competition at 22-under following a second-round 266 (272-266-538). No. 22 LSU is in fourth at 1-under (284-275--559) and No. 6 Georgia rounds out the top five at plus -1 (277-284--561).

“I’m proud of the guys today as they hung tough all the way to the end,” Auburn head coach Nick Clinard said. “We didn’t have our best stuff today, but we are excited about being in the final pairing in tomorrow’s final round for the third straight year. It should be a fun, competitive day.”

Carlsson led all Auburn golfers in the second round, firing a 1-under 69. Jake Mondy and Will Long each shot even-par on Saturday. Long (69-70--139) is tied for eighth at 1-under along with six others while Mondy (70-70--140) and teammate Matt Gilchrest (68-72--140) are each tied for 15th. Daniel Stringfellow (75-77--152) is tied for 62nd at plus-12.

Auburn is in search of a third straight top-three finish after placing third in 2013 and second in 2012.

Auburn will join Alabama and South Carolina in the final grouping, with the first group teeing off at 9:10 a.m. ET.