Hutchinson CC Sports Information

ODESSA, Texas – Freshmen Blake Saffell and Dominic Clemons posted career-low rounds Wednesday and the No. 3-ranked Hutchinson Community College men's golf team pulled away from the field at the halfway point of the NJCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships at the Odessa Country Club.

The Blue Dragons were the only team to shoot under par in the second round, posting a 6-under round of 282 and lead the 2022 Championship by 19 strokes with a 10-under-par score of 566.

Blue Dragon players own the Top 3 spots of the individual leaderboard after 36 holes.

Defending individual national champion Ben Partridge leads the tournament at 6-under 138. Saffell is second at 4-under 139 and Clemons is third at 3-under 141.

The Blue Dragons will pair in the third round with Eastern Florida State and New Mexico Junior College – those teams are tied for second – from 1:24 to 2:00 p.m. on Thursday.

Four early birdies – two by Saffell and one each from Clemons and Addison Alonzo – and an Eagle by Partridge on the third hole got the Blue Dragons off to a fast start and immediately extended Hutchinson's three-stroke lead to seven strokes after three holes.

The Blue Dragon lead continued to grow through the round.

Hutchinson's 282 on Wednesday was the lowest team round through the first two days of the tournament. The next best team rounds posted in the second round were 3-over 291s by both Ranger College and Western Texas College.

Leading the Blue Dragons in the second round was Saffell, who carded a Blue Dragon career-low 5-under 67. Saffell had six birdies and a single bogey. Playing three under at the turn, Saffell had birdies on Nos. 12 and 16 to get to 5-under par for the round.

After opening the Championship with a 72 on Tuesday, Clemons continued his strong play with a 3-under 69 in the second round. Shooting 2-under at the turn, Clemons bogeyed both Nos. 10 and 14 to twice slip to 1-under. The Blue Dragon freshman birdied Nos. 15 and 17 to finish strong with a 69.

Partridge had both good and bad in his second round. Partridge erased two early bogeys with an eagle on the third hole. He then got to 3-under with birdies on Nos. 5, 6 and 11. Partridge then had back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 14 and 15 to drop back to 1-under before finishing with a birdie on No. 18 to finish with a 70.

Only nine golfers are at even par or lower after 36 holes.

The Blue Dragons also counted Alonzo's 4-over 76 on Wednesday. Harry Crockett posted a 77 in the second round.

Crockett is tied for 33rd and 5-over 149. Alonzo is at 6-over 150 through two rounds.