GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG men’s golf team finished in a tie for 12th place overall after the first round of the Puerto Rico Classic hosted by Purdue at the Rio Mar Golf Club Ocean Course Sunday. The second round will begin Monday with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. with the Spartans set to tee off from holes No. 15-18. Live scoring will be available at www.golfstatresults.com.
The 15-team field includes 14 teams ranked in the top 100 in the country, including eight in the top 50 and five in the top 20. Joining the Spartans in the field are No. 1 Alabama, No. 3 Georgia Tech, No. 9 Oklahoma, No. 17 Clemson, No. 18 Kentucky, No. 33 Marquette, No. 37 NC State, No. 44 Northwestern, Purdue, Middle Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Maryland, East Carolina and Georgia.
The Spartans posted a 10-over par 294 on the par-71 Ocean Course, sitting in a tie with No. 33 Marquette. No. 9 Oklahoma holds the overall lead at 10-under-par 274, leading by two strokes over No. 37 NC State and No. 3 Georgia Tech. Stephen Franken of NC State holds the individual lead by five strokes with an event-record 9-under-par 62 Sunday.
Senior Josh Stockwell was the Spartans’ top finisher in round one, placing 25th overall. Stockwell posted an even-par 71 Sunday with five birdies, five bogeys and eight par scores. Junior Bryce Hendrix is just one shot back in a tie for 33rd place at 1-over-par 72. Hendrix tallied four birdies, five bogeys and nine par scores in the first round.
Sophomore Jonathan Brightwell is one more shot back in a tie for 37th place at 2-over-par 73. Brightwell posted a team-high 13 par scores on the round, to go along with two birdies, two bogeys and one double bogey.
Senior Joseph Cansler turned in a 7-over-par 78 to sit in a tie for 65th place overall. Cansler posted two birdies on the afternoon. Freshman Nick Lyerly rounded out the lineup in 71st place after carding a tough 9-over-par 80 in the first round, notching eight par scores on the day.
Sophomore Grant Powell played as an individual on the River Course and sits in 19th place in the individual field. Powell recorded a 7-over-par 79 on the par-72 River Course with 12 par scores and one birdie.