SORRENTO, Fla. — Utilizing the lowest score of the day, the No. 1-ranked Georgia men’s golf team improved to third place on Friday at the NCAA Southeast Regional.

The Bulldogs fired a 9-under-par 275 in the second round at RedTail Golf Club for a two-day total of 11-under 557 to move up from seventh place. Georgia is 12 strokes behind host Central Florida, which is at 23-under 545.

In order to qualify for the NCAA Championship later this month, the Bulldogs have to finish in the top five at the Southeast Regional. Georgia is three shots ahead of the teams in fifth place.

“I am really proud of the way the guys played today,” Georgia coach Chris Haack said. “This team doesn’t know the meaning of the word quit. I knew they could bounce back strong. We were very steady today, and that’s what it takes in team golf. We just need to keep it going one more day.”

Junior Hudson Swafford paced the Bulldogs on Friday with a 4-under 67. Senior Brian Harman added a 3-under 68, while sophomore Harris English signed for a 2-under 69, and senior Adam Mitchell and sophomore Russell Henley each had an even-par 71.

Swafford is in the group tied for 11th at 4-under 138, nine shots behind Arizona’s Tarquin MacManus. Mitchell is tied for 15th at 3-under 139, Harman is tied for 21st at 2-under 140, Henley is tied for 31st at even-par 142 and English is tied for 37th at 1-over 143.

The NCAA Southeast Regional will conclude on Saturday. Live scoring, pairings and tee times can be found at golfstat.com. English will lead the Bulldogs off at 9:10 a.m. Saturday.

- Georgia Sports Communications