Furman tied for ninth at Brickyard Collegiate
MACON, Ga. – Sophomore Wehman Hopke (-4) fired a career-best 68 on Friday to lead Furman in the opening day of the Brickyard Collegiate Championship at the 7,128-yard Brickyard at Riverside Golf Club. The Paladins (+6) are tied for ninth place out of 14 teams following the first day of competition.
Hopke, who enters Saturday’s second round tied for third place, birdied three holes on the front and repeated the performance with three additional birdies on the back nine to finish the day three strokes back of leader Keith Mitchell (-7) of Georgia, who fired a 65 in the opening round.
Freshman Bryce Howell (+1) finished the day at 1-over par after carding a 73 in Friday’s round. Howell teed off of 10 and birdied two holes on the back nine before completing the round with a birdie on his last hole of the day to finish tied for 27th.
Sophomore Preston Heyward (+4) shot a 76 with two birdies in the his final five holes, tying for 53rd after the opening round, while sophomore Preston Cole (+5) eagled No. 18 to tie for 61st after registering a 77 in Friday’s round. Junior Michael Borton (+5) was also tied for 61st after the first round.
Georgia Tech (-6) holds a one-stroke lead over Virginia Tech (-5) following the first day of competition. Mercer (-4) stands in third place entering the tournament’s second round.
The Paladins will tee off of No. 1 Saturday at 10 a.m. in second-round action.
Chattanooga 11th at Brickyard Collegiate
MACON, Ga. – The Chattanooga Mocs men’s golf team is in 11th after 18 holes at the Brickyard Collegiate. The squad shot 300 at the Brickyard at Riverside on Friday.
Freshman Ewan Scott led the team with a 1-over-par 73. He had 15 pars, one birdie and two bogeys. The 15 level scores is a season-best by a Moc.
Chris Robb, Davis Bunn and Wes Gosselin rounded out the counting scores. Robb shot a 75 (+3), while Bunn and Gosselin each registered 4-over 76s. Stuart Thomas had the drop score with an 81.
Georgia Tech is the early leader at 282 (-6). The Yellow Jackets are one stroke ahead of Virginia Tech at 283. Host Mercer is third, another shot back at 284. Georgia’s Keith Mitchell, playing as an individual, sits atop the leaderboard after a 65 (-7).
Liam Johnston, the Mocs’ individual in the field, is tied for seventh after a 2-under-par 70. He just missed qualifying for the starting lineup. Johnston was entered after Air Force was required to withdraw due to ongoing government issues.
Chattanooga begins round two on the 10th hole at 9:10 a.m.