Furman 15th at The Hayt Collegiate Invitational

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLA. – Three Paladins are tied for 63rd place to lead the Furman men’s golf team Friday in the opening day of the The Hayt Collegiate Invitational at the par-72, 6,976-yard Sawgrass Country Club. As a team, Furman sits 15th.

Sophomore Bryce Howell (+8) and juniors Wehman Hopke (+8) and Preston Cole (+8) all carded an 80 in the opening round. Cole recorded three birdies on the day, while Howell and Hopke each notched two birdies in the tournament’s opening round. No. 93 Tom Lovelady (-2) of Alabama leads the field after firing a 70 in Friday’s round.

No. 29 North Florida (+8) is one stroke ahead of No. 26 Oklahoma State (+9) after the Ospreys scored an opening-round 296. No. 16 UCLA (+11) is third, while No. 18 Alabama (+12) and No. 8 Texas (+13) complete the top five.

Second-round play will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday.