PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Three Paladins are tied for 29th to lead the Furman men’s golf team in the opening round of the 2017 spring season Friday at the John Hayt Invitational at the par-72, 6,976-yard Sawgrass Country Club.

Senior Bryce Howell (+2), sophomore Connor Bruns (+2), and freshman Keller Harper (+2) each carded an opening-round 74. Howell scored birdies on No. 8 and No. 18, and Bruns added four birdies, including consecutive birdies on No. 7 and No. 8. Harper, who made his collegiate debut on Friday, notched a team-high six birdies with three straight birdies on holes six through eight.

Junior Hunter Nichols (+4) is tied for 45th after shooting a 76 with a birdie on No. 11 in round one, and freshman Stephen Reynolds (+8) carded an 80 with two birdies to tie for 72nd heading into Saturday’s second round.

Four players are tied for the individual lead after firing 69s in the opening round, including Taylor Eyster (-3) of UAB, Thomas Rosenmueller (-3) of North Texas, UCF’s Manuel Elvira (-3), and East Carolina’s Patrick Stephenson (-3).

No. 49 UCF (-3) holds a one-stroke lead over Louisville (-2) after one round of play. No. 33 Liberty (+1) sits in third place, followed by UAB (+2) in fourth, and 36th-ranked North Florida (+3) completes the top five. Furman (+10) is tied with Coastal Carolina (+10) for 11th place.

The 54-hole tournament will continue on Saturday with teams will teeing off of No. 1 and No. 10 beginning at 8:30 a.m. Furman will tee off of No. 10 beginning at 9:24 a.m. and will play in groups with East Carolina and Coastal Carolina.

The tournament will conclude on Sunday with teams teeing off beginning at 7:30 a.m.