Joe Avento
Johnson City Press Sports Writer

ELIZABETHTON – When Matt Ongie heard the weather report, he smiled.

A wind advisory was in effect for Northeast Tennessee on Monday, and that meant conditions were going to be tough in the Appalachian Athletic Conference/NAIA Region XII golf tournament.

It also meant Ongie was going to be in his element.

Ongie, a senior at Milligan College, relied on his low punch shot much of the day, battling the winds and early morning cold to shoot rounds of 78 and 76 at Elizabethton Golf Course. That left him in the individual lead and helped the Buffaloes to a seven-stroke advantage after the first two rounds of the 54-hole tournament.

“I was looking forward to today when I saw the wind advisory,” Ongie said. “I played the East Tennessee Amateur here about three or four years in a row and I’ve never seen the course like it was today. That punch shot, that’s my shot, so it was kind of tailored to me.”

Milligan finished the day with a 631 total, seven strokes better than Brescia College of Kentucky. Covenant was in third at 650.

Two tournaments are being held simultaneously. The AAC teams are competing for their conference championship, while four others have joined them in the NAIA Region XII event. The overall winner advances to the NAIA national tournament.

The National Weather Service reported gusts us up to 38 mph in Elizabethon and the conditions took their toll on the field. The theme for the day was survival, not how low could you go. Scores, especially in the morning round, soared as high as 114. Anybody breaking 80 was playing some pretty good golf.

“This morning was brutal,” Brescia coach Joe Pechota said. “It was bordering on miserable. I couldn’t imagine having to swing a golf club, not to mention be effective with it.”

Last year, Milligan held the lead heading into the final day, only to be caught and passed by Brescia, which earned the national-tourney berth with a one-stroke victory.

“One thing we talked about coming into today was that it was more of a marathon, not a sprint,” Pechota said. “I think we’re within striking distance as far as where we want to be. The good thing about golf is you can control it; it’s in your hands.

I think our experience … we’ve kind of been there, done that.”

Ongie’s 154 total was three shots clear of the field. He started the day four over par after four holes, but rallied to play his final 32 holes in six over par. He had only two birdies all day.

“Matt did a great job on that second 18 and kept us in it there,” Milligan coach Tony Wallingford said. “He played some great golf that last stretch. That’s his game, he’s so steady, very consistent. And he stepped up when it counts.”

It will even count more today as the Milligan team tries to earn its first ever national tournament berth.

“We’re happy to be where we are, but you don’t get a trophy for finishing first after 36 holes,” Wallingford said. “It’s all about 54 holes. Hopefully we’ll come out tomorrow and get it done.”

Ongie’s teammate Grayson Patton, the individual regional champion two years ago, was tied at 157 with Clay Williams of Brescia. They both followed opening rounds of 81 with afternoon 76s.

Terrance Evans of Milligan was in fourth at 158 after rounds of 78 and 80. Covenant’s John Wilkinson was fifth at 158.