Story Courtesy Georgia Southern sports information

 

ORLANDO, FL ? The Georgia Southern golf team fired a seven-over 295 in the opening round of the NCAA East Regional in Orlando Thursday.   The Eagles are in 8^th place heading into day two of the tournament.

 

The tournament at the Lake Nona Golf & Country Club was played under sunny, but windy conditions. Three teams broke par and 14 players among the field of 141 finished under par.  Top-seeded Georgia posted a 4-under-par team score of 284 to take a one-shot lead over Wake Forest.

Senior Drew Bowen paced the Eagles, shooting an even-par 72 in the opening round, placing him in a tie for 15^th after day one.  Freshman Jordan Johnstun is one stroke back at one-over 73 and is tied for 27^th.  Senior Jon David Kennedy and freshman Ryan LeFevre both shot a three-over 75, tied for 53^rd.  Junior Bryan Jones shot a seven-over 79 and is tied for 109^th.

Wake Forest is in second place at 3-under par 285 and UNLV is two shots further back at 1-under 287. Led by freshman Mark Stevens who shot a first round 68, Rhode Island is alone is fourth at 288.  Texas Tech is in fifth place at 1-over par 289, with UCLA three shots behind at 4-over 292. North Carolina (294), Georgia Southern (295), Auburn (296) and Jacksonville (297) round out the top 10.

North Carolina senior Jonathan Jackson shot a first-round 6-under-par 66 to lead the field by one stroke. He posted a 6-under-par 30 on the front nine (his back nine), after an even-par first nine holes

Friday's second round tee times begin at 7 a.m.  Georgia Southern, who will pair with North Carolina and Auburn, will tee off from the 10^th tee at 7:47 a.m.

 

The top-10 squads in the 27-team field, plus two individuals not on those teams, advance to the NCAA Championship, which begins May 31 in Sunriver, Ore.

 

You can follow the Eagles live at www.golfstat.com.

 

Georgia Southern:

T15 Drew Bowen Georgia Southern 72  E

T27 Jordan Johnstun Georgia Southern 73 +1

T53 Jon David Kennedy Georgia Southern 75 +3

T53 Ryan LeFerve Georgia Southern 75 +3

T109 Bryan Jones Georgia Southern 79 +7

 

Team Standings:

1 Georgia 284  -4

2 Wake Forest Univ. 285  -3

3 UNLV 287  -1

4 Rhode Island, U. of 288  E

5 Texas Tech 289  +1

6 UCLA 292  +4

7 North Carolina 294  +6

8 Georgia Southern 295  +7

9 Auburn 296  +8

10 Jacksonville Univ. 297  +9

T11 Southern California 298  +10

T11 Georgia State Univ. 298  +10

T11 Western Illinois U. 298  +10

T14 Charlotte 299  +11

T14 Indiana University 299  +11

16 Notre Dame, U. of 300  +12

17 Coastal Carolina 301  +13

18 Florida State Univ. 302  +14

19 South Carolina 304  +16

 

Story Courtesy Western Carolina sports information

ORLANDO, FL - Western Carolina golfer Matt Cook, making the first ever appearance by a Catamount in the NCAA men's postseason, turned in a first-round score of 86 at the NCAA East Regional Championship, played at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club. The round was out of the ordinary for the sophomore, who entered the NCAA regional with a career stroke average of just over 71 and no career round over 76.

Cook started his day with a par, followed by a birdie. However, he then had five straight boogies with a triple boogie to shoot 43 for hit first nine hole. His struggles continued over his final eight holes before he birdied his last hole of the day. He will look to build on that finish with 18 holes on Friday and a final 18 holes Saturday.