Hutchinson CC Sports Information

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ODESSA, Texas – Defending NJCAA individual national champion Ben Partridge posted back-to-back under-par rounds and has the defending team champion Hutchinson Community College men's golf team in the thick of a pack of top NJCAA Teams at the NJCAA National Preview on Thursday.

The Blue Dragons shot rounds of 288 and 286 to post a 2-under par team score of 574 after the first two rounds played on Thursday at the Odessa Country Club, site of the 2022 NJCAA Division I Men's National Tournament.

The No. 1-ranked Blue Dragons – Hutchinson is ranked at the top of both the NJCAA and Bushnell/GolfWeek coaches' rankings – trails No. 2-ranked Midland College by 10 strokes. Midland leads the field at 12-under 564. Odessa, Nos. 7/4 in the national rankings, is second at 7-under 569. The Blue Dragons are third at 2-under 576. Unranked Indian Hills is fourth at 578 and No. 3 McLennan College is fifth at 580.

Partridge posted rounds of 69 and 71 on Thursday and is just one stroke off the individual lead. Tied with Odessa's Sangha Park, Partridge is at 4-under 140. Midland's Adam Coull leads at 5-under 139.

Partridge closed strong on Thursday. He was 2-over in his second round through nine holes, but closed with four birdies and just one bogey over the final nine holes to finish at 1-under 71.

The Blue Dragons were five strokes off the Midland lead after 18 holes on Thursday. Hutch counted Partridge's 69 and 73s from Harry Crockett, Blake Saffell and Addison Alonzo.

The Dragons improved two strokes in the afternoon round, but lost five strokes to the Chaps. Crockett shot the low round for Hutchinson in the second round of 2-under 70. Partridge and Saffell carded 71s and Dominic Clemons counted with a 74.

The final round will be a Friday morning shotgun start at 8:30 a.m.

Crockett is in a six-way tie for seventh individually at 1-under 143.

Saffell is tied with four others for 13th at even-par 144. He eagled the 17th hole in the second round.

Alonzo is tied for 26th at 4-over 148 after rounds of 73 and 75.

Clemons is tied for 35th at 151 with Thursday rounds of 77 and 74.

Individual player Cameron Rios-Ceballos is tied for 41st at 152. He posted rounds of 77 and 75 on Thursday.