GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The Furman (-22) men's golf team fired a tournament and program record low round of 269 Sunday to lead the 53rd Annual Furman Intercollegiate at the par 71, 7,005-yard Furman University Golf Course in Greenville, S.C.  

After two rounds, the Paladins hold a three-stroke advantage over No. 21 Chattanooga (-91).  No. 26 Texas A&M (-11) sits in third, while James Madison (E) and Campbell (E) are tied for fourth.  Furman will tee off of holes No. 1 through 3 in Sunday's 9 a.m. shotgun start and will play in a group with Chattanooga and Texas A&M in the tournament's final 18 holes. 

Furman's 269 is three strokes better than the previous program record of 271, which was set in 2003  at the 49er Collegiate and repeated twice, both at the Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate, in 2021.  Clemson held the former tournament record of 272, which the Tigers posted in both 2011 and 2012.   

Sophomore Clark Akers (-5) is tied for fifth to lead Furman entering Tuesday's final round.  He played an almost flawless round one with four birdies and just one bogey to card a 3-under 68 then added a 69 with five birdies in round two.  Akers is three strokes back of leaders Paul Conroy (-8) and Erik Johansson (-8) of Campbell, who each hold a two-round total of 134.  

Junior Will Morlan (-4) is one stroke behind Akers in eighth place after tallying an opening-round 7-under 64.  He posted a team-high six birdies in the round plus an eagle on the par-5 No. 15 to surge into the early lead.  Morlan birdied his first three holes of round two and carded a 74 for the round.  

Senior Ross Funderburke (-3) and junior Trey Diehl (-3) are tied for ninth after 36 holes.  Funderburke recorded a 2-under 69 with four birdies in the day's opening round then added a 70 with three birdies, including consecutive birdies on No. 15 and No. 16, in round two.  Diehl posted three birdies and added an eagle on the par-5 No. 15 for a 3-under 68 in round one then shot an even 71 with four birdies, including back to back birdies on No. 2 and No. 3, in the day's second round.  

Sophomore Harris Barth (+1) is tied for 27th.  He shot a 76 with a birdie on No. 2 in the morning then rebounded to pace the Paladins with a 4-under 67 in the afternoon round.  Barth scored a team-high six birdies in round two.  

Senior Walker Crosby (-2), who is playing as an individual, is tied for 15th after two rounds.  Crosby fired a 69 with four birdies in round one and added an even 71 with five birdies in round two.  He birdied three out of four holes from No. 14 through No. 17 to finish the day's play.  Senior Demi Di Matteo (+1), who is also playing as an individual, shot a 73 with four birdies in round one and a 70 with five birdies, including back to back birdies on No. 2 and No. 3, in round two to tie for 27th.  

Other Paladins competing as individuals include senior Mac Scott (+7), who is tied for 63rd after posting rounds of 76 and 73 with six birdies on the day, along with freshman Fisher Kennedy, who recorded rounds of 78 and 74 to tie for 81st.  Sophomore Zach Frazer carded a 77 in each round and had three birdies on the day to sit in 83rd place, while senior David Dickey is tied for 89th with rounds of 82 and 81.  Dickey, who eagled the par-5 No. 2 in round one, posted three birdies, including consecutive birdies on No. 3 and No. 4, in round two.  

Admission is free to Sunday's final round, and live scoring will be available on www.furmanpaladins.com and www.golfstat.com.

1 Furman 269 277 546 -22

T5 Clark Akers (5) 68 69 137 -5

8 Will Morlan (1) 64 74 138 -4

T9 Trey Diehl (3) 68 71 139 -3

T9 Ross Funderburke (4) 69 70 139 -3

T15 Walker Crosby (I) 69 71 140 -2

T27 Harris Barth (2) 76 67 143 +1

T27 Demi Di Matteo (I) 73 70 143 +1

T63 Mac Scott (I) 76 73 149 +7

T81 Fisher Kennedy (I) 78 74 152 +10

83 Zach Frazer (I) 77 77 154 +12

T89 David Dickey (I) 82 81 163 +21