The Dalton State men’s golf team has a three stroke lead after the first round of the 36 hole Chick-fil-A Invitational at the par-72, 6924 yards Coosa Country Club.
The Roadrunners shot a team total of 286. The defending NAIA champions from the College of Coastal Georgia are close behind with a 289. Spring Hill follows with a 292.
“It was a very good game,” said Dalton State Coach Ben Rickett. “It is particularly good to have three players shoot below par.
Now we need to go out tomorrow and finish what we’ve started.”
There is a three way tie for fourth. Emory University, Greensboro, and University of the Cumberlands each shot 295. Three teams are tied for seventh. Berry College, Birmingham Southern, and Reinhardt University each shot 297.
Rounding out the field were Point University (300), Marian University IN (305), Oglethorpe University (309), Georgia Northwestern (311), Piedmont College 311), Brewton-Parker (318), Talladega AL (318), Covenant College (323), St. Catharine (326), Bob Jones University (326), and Fisk University 349).
Three Dalton State linksters finished Monday’s first round as part of a six way tie for fourth.
Sean Elliott, Max Bruck and Dalton Johnson each fired a one under par, 71. Alan Barnhardt of Coastal Georgia, Michal Pospisil from the University of the Cumberlands and Jesse Redman of Spring Hill College each also shot 71.
Tristan Lough of Greensboro and Spencer Fikes of Point University share the first round lead after each shot a three under par, 69. Alex Wunderlich of Emory University is in sole possession of third with a first round 70.
Dalton State’s Chase Jones finished Monday with a 73 and Levi Nix 76.
Round two is scheduled for Tuesday. The tournament will close-out the fall portion of the Roadrunner golf schedule.
Erika Wardzinski and the Dalton State women’s golf team lead the pack after the first day of the Chick-fil-A Invitational at 5,866 par 72 Stonebridge Golf Club.
The Lady Roadrunner’s fired a 303 in the first 18 holes to lead second place University of the Cumberlands (312) and South Carolina at Beaufort (312) by nine strokes.
Wardzinski (71) has the individual lead by one stroke over Franzi Knoetsch (72) of South Carolina at Beaufort. Caroline Griffin of Dalton State shot a one over 73 to put her in a three way tie for third with LeeAnn Cahoon of Huntingdon College and Sarah Gilliard of Coastal Georgia.
“It’s a great day for Dalton State golf,” said Lady Roadrunners Coach Jim McGrew. “This is the kind of round we were looking for at this point in the season. Now we need to go out Tuesday and finish what we’ve started.”
Julia McQuilken shot a 77, Taylor Marie Griner 77, and Rachel Rebne had an 83. Playing as an individual, Ashley McDonald shot a 92.
Huntingdon College (318) finished the first round in fourth place followed by Trevecca Nazarine (319), Coastal Georgia (326), Berry College (326), Spring Hill College (350) and Oglethorpe University (353)
The tournament is scheduled to finish up Tuesday with a 9:30 a.m. start. This is the final Lady Roadrunners action of the fall season.