Simpson moves up to sixth at IIAC tournament

IOWA CITY, Iowa - James Montgomery (Knoxville, Iowa/Knoxville) shot a 4-under 68 on Saturday, catapulting himself into second-place in the individual standings and pushing Simpson into sixth after the second round of the Iowa Conference Championships at Finkbine Golf Course.

Central (610) leads the team race, followed by Wartburg (615), Luther (617), Buena Vista (620), and Loras (622). Simpson (635) is next, leading Coe (654), Dubuque (662) and Cornell (747).

Montgomery shaved 12 strokes off yesterday's 80, as he carded the best round of the day and tied teammate Matt Spaulding (Fonda, Iowa/Newell-Fonda) for the lowest round in the Iowa Conference this season. He had seven birdies on the day to only three bogeys. The round is the lowest at the Championships since Nick Grossman carded a 68 in the first round of the 2005 meet at Gates Park in Waterloo.

Montgomery trails Buena Vista's Andy Soper by one stroke going into the final two rounds of the tournament, 147 to 148.

Led by Montgomery's big day, the Storm moved up one place - from seventh to sixth - after the second round of the four-round tournament. The tournament concludes next weekend at Centennial Oaks Golf Course in Waverly.

Spaulding and Grant Northway (Altoona, Iowa/Grandview Park Baptist) both shot 77s on Saturday, giving Spaulding a 157 (t-14th) while Northway is 32nd with a 165). Nick Tanner (Sheldon, Iowa/Sheldon) is tied for tied for 35th after two rounds (169) and John Richter (Marshalltown, Iowa/GMG) is tied for 37th (171).