PITTSFORD, NY – Local product Anthony Delisanti (Valparaiso) followed up a 66 with a bogey-free second round of 65 to take sole possession of the lead on Thursday at the 82nd Monroe Invitational. First round leader Luke Haskew (LSU) sits in second after carding a 68 to move to -8 for the Invitational. The low round of the day belonged to Michael Mays (Florida State), who ripped through the course with a -6.
Marshall Meisel (Wake Forest) and Matthew Troutman (Oklahoma) are tied for third place at -6. Meisel was 1-under for the day after launching a 65 in the first round. Troutman, the 283rd-ranked player according to WAGR, had one of the lower rounds of the day at -4, including five birdies.
Haskew’s LSU teammate, Connor Gaunt, and J. Holland Humphries (SMU) are tied for fifth place at -5. Cian Rose (Clemson) was even par for the day and remains -4 for the tournament, good for seventh place.
Haskew, who was the leader for most of the day after going out in an early tee time, was pleased with his second round after shooting a 64 to start the tournament. “It’s definitely difficult to back up low rounds, especially in 4-day tournaments,” he said afterwards. “Anytime you play solidly after a really good round the day before, you should be pretty proud of it.”
The Baton Rouge, LA native had one of the highlights of the day, holing out on the 11th hole from the rough (141 yards) on the 419-yard par-4. He said, “I hit a 50 degree gap wedge right at it and it just kind of trickled in perfectly, so it was pretty cool to watch.” “I can’t remember the last time that I holed out, so that was fun.”
Delisanti was in control of his game all day, with two birdies on the front 9 and three birdies on the back, with all the rest pars. He persevered through some rain and wind to gain the 36-hole lead. “It was a little softer today with the rain last night, so it made it slightly easier even though there was a little bit of wind out there today compared to yesterday,” he said following the round. “I hit it solid all day – I managed the misses really well. I missed a few greens, but I had no trouble at all.”
The low-round of the day for Mays came after struggling in the first round with six bogeys and three birdies to finish +3 (73). Mays was able to turn his game around on day two, a big part being on the mental side, to bounce back with seven birdies and just one bogey, moving him into red figures at -3. When asked the difference between the two rounds, Mays remarked, “A lot of attitude stuff.” “This is a great tournament and a lot of help goes into it. Just being grateful out there, enjoying it – enjoying the walk with my dad on the bag. I was having a good time and things went my way today.”
Mays has had a welcomed addition as of late with his father recently caddieing for his son more often. In 2021, when Mays first played at the Monroe Invitational, his father was on the bag for the first time ever. Since then he says his father is learning more and more about the game of golf walking alongside him during the rounds, but possibly the most important thing is the perspective that he brings. Said Mays, “He’s always Mr. Positive out there.” “Sometimes I can get a little down and he’s always just happy to be there, so we have a good time.”
Mays headlines the players tied for 8th place at -3. He is joined by Andrew Swanson (Clemson), Paul Conroy (Chattanooga), Peyton Snoeberger (Purdue), and Gustav Frimodt (TCU). Swanson is ranked 157th according to WAGR, while Frimodt is the top-ranked player in the field at 44th. Conroy was -5 for his second round.
There are 12 other players under par for the tournament.
Round 3 will begin at 7 a.m. on Friday. The top 45 players, including ties after round three, will play in the final round on Saturday.