Furman, Cole lead Rees Jones Invitational
DAUFUSKIE ISLAND, S.C. – Senior Preston Cole (-2) leads the field after firing a 2-under 70 Sunday, helping the Paladins (+5) to a share of the team lead in the opening day of the 2015-16 season at the Rees Jones Invitational at the par-72, 7,380-yard Haig Point, a Jones Signature Course.
Cole carded a team-high six birdies on the day, including back-to-back-to-back birdies on Nos. 2, 3 and 4 to open the round. He made the turn at 2-under and was even on the back to finish the round one stroke ahead of Thomas LaMorte (-1) of Campbell, Tyler Lail (-1) of Western Carolina and Charlotte’s Nicolas Manifacier (-1) who each shot an opening round 71.
Paladin junior Bryce Howell (+1) is tied for seventh after shooting a 73 with four birdies on Sunday, while freshman Connor Bruns (+3) and senior Wehman Hopke (+3) are tied for 19th after each scored two birdies and an opening-round 75. Senior Preston Heyward (+7) enters Monday’s round tied for 37th, while sophomore Hunter Nichols (+9), who is playing as an individual, is tied for 43rd.
The Paladins are tied for the lead with Campbell (+5), while 47th-ranked Charlotte (+6) is just one stroke back in third. Liberty (+7) is fourth after Sunday’s round, and No. 26 Kennesaw State (+10) completes the top five.
Second-round play of the 54-hole tournament begins Monday at 9 a.m., and the tournament will conclude on Tuesday. The Paladins will tee off of No. 10 on Monday at 9:50 a.m.
Western Carolina seventh at Rees Jones Invitational
DAUFUSKIE ISLAND, S.C. – Senior Tyler Lail leads two Catamount men’s golfers inside the individual top 10 after the opening 18 holes as Western Carolina sits seventh overall at the Rees Jones Invitational being contested on the par-72, 7,380-yard Jones Signature Course at The Haig Point Club. Carding an eagle on the final hole Sunday, Lail posted an opening-round, 1-under par 71 to sit amidst a three-way tie for the runner-up spot among the 55-golfer field.
Paired with golfers from Coastal Carolina and Winthrop, WCU’s scoring five is scheduled to hit the course on the back nine, teeing off on the par-4 10th beginning at 9:40 a.m.
True freshman Mark David Johnson had a very strong opening round in his collegiate debut on Sunday, countering four bogeys with a trio of birdies to sit in a tie for seventh place at 1-over 73.
Western Carolina sophomore Jackson Bishop made the turn at even-par on Sunday, but was 6-over on the back to sit in a tie for 36th overall with an opening-round 78.
Rounding out WCU’s scoring five were true freshman Lawson King (81, 43rd-t) and senior Taylor Durand (89, 54th.) King matched teammates Lail and Johnson by carding three birdies on Sunday.
Posting matching team scores of 5-over par, 293, Campbell and Southern Conference foe Furman lead the 10-team field after 18 holes.
Furman’s Preston Cole has a one-stroke advantage over the three-way tie for second that includes WCU’s Lail.
Monday’s second round is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.