PENSACOLA, Fla. – After a rough start in the first round of the UWF Argonaut Invitational, the No. 1 University of North Georgia men's golf team roared back into contention in the event's second round on Monday. 

At Pensacola Country Club, a 6,903-yard par-72 test, the Nighthawks shot a combined one-over 289 to sit in sixth place after the first 18 holes. 

Three UNG golfers went under par in round one but only by a combined four shots below the line.

In round two, it was a much different story. After four birdies and four bogeys washed graduate student Will Chambless' first round to a 72, the veteran exploded in the second round.

On the front nine, Chambless birdied three of the last five holes to make the turn at one-under. He had no missteps on the back nine to finish with a four-under 68 in the second round. His back nine run included consecutive birdies at holes 11 and 12 with another at 17. After two rounds, Chambless is currently T6 overall at four-under. 

Just behind Chambless are teammates in junior Myles Jones and sophomore Hunter Smith. 

Jones had five birdies in round one to help finish with a two-under-par 70 in the opening 18. In round two, Jones went on a roller coaster ride but one that resulted in a good number when it was all said and done. His round started with three bogeys in the first five holes. 

He steadied himself with birdies at five, eight and nine to make the turn at one-over. He then eagled the par-5 12th to get back below par. After a bogey on the next hole, Jones birdied the par-5 at 14 to get back below par. He would finish his final two holes level to end round two with a one-under 71. Jones sits in tie for eighth place with three other competitors, however, he is competing as an individual which means his score does not count towards the Nighthawks' team score. 

Smith's score counts for UNG which is very good news for head coach Bryson Worley. The sophomore struggled in round one. On the front nine, he had four birdies and corrected them with only one bogey on the back to shoot 75.

Then Smith went on a heater that perhaps no UNG golfer has or will go on again this season. In the second round, Smith teed off on the par-4 third hole. He parred his first two holes before birdieing hole five. After a bogey at seven, he birdied eight to help finish one-under-par before making the turn at Pensacola CC. 

The turn was, no pun intended, the turning point in the round for Smith. With birdies at 10, 12, 14, 15, 16 and 17, he was suddenly six shots below par after birdieing four straight holes and seven of his last 10. 

With a bogey at 18, Smith then parred out on his final two holes to shoot a five-under 67. At two-under overall, he rests tied for 12th entering Tuesday's final round. 

Senior Noah Zediker shot a pair of 72s in both rounds and is currently tied for 28th a few spots ahead of junior Hughes Threlkeld and grad student Jack Vajda who are tied for 36th.

As a team, the Nighthawks' resilient effort in round two puts them in fifth place at six-under-par with a combined team score of 570. 

Ahead of UNG is first place No. 3 Georgia Southwestern at 13-under, while No. 23 Coker follows in second at eight-under. No. 5 Oklahoma Christian and host No. 17 West Florida are tied in fourth at seven-under.