Blondell Leads Eagles to Third Place Tie after First Round of John Hayt Invitational
2/22/2009 5:08:00 AM | Men's Golf
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. ? Sophomore Logan Blondell shot an even par 72 in the opening round of the John Hayt Invitational to lead the Georgia Southern golf team to a tie for third place Sunday (Feb. 22) at the Sawgrass Oceanside Course. Georgia Southern finished the first day of competition with a 10-over par 298 alongside UAB. The Eagles are just two strokes behind LSU (296) who stands in second and eight behind first round leader Arizona State (290). Blondell's first round score places him in a five-way tie for fourth place.
“We played well today with a total team effort,” said head coach Larry Mays. “The team handled the wind and the tough golf course today.”
Making their first appearance in the tournament, the Eagles battled through the gusty winds to claim a first round score of 298 (+10). Blondell leads the Eagles after the first round, tying for fourth. The Eagle opened on the front nine going 3-over-par with two birdies for a 39. Blondell then excelled on the back nine with two birdies and one bogey leading him in to the 18th hole two-over par. Blondell then shot an eagle on the 510 yard 18 to propel him to a 3-under-par back nine for an even-par 72 first round score. Blondell was one of only seven players to shoot an even-par or better in the opening round of the tournament.
Drew Lethem and Ryan LeFevre each shot a 75, tying them for 24th as Joe Monte and Spencer Fulford completed the Eagles' lineup each shooting a 76, placing them in a 10-way tie for 32nd. Freshman Sean Brannan made the trip with Georgia Southern competing on an individual basis. He carded a 91 through the first round, putting him in 84th place.
Lethem finished round one with a 75 (+3) after opening the day with a 37 (+1) front nine with two birdies and three bogeys before rounding out the day on the back nine with a 38 (+2). Lethem was 4-over par heading into the last hole before he birdied to card a final 3-over par. LeFevre shot the opposite, carding a 2-over-par in the opening nine and a 1-over-par in the final stretch to tie Lethem with a 75 (+3) first round score. LeFevre shot an even-par course except on holes four and 16 where he shot a double bogey and bogey, respectively.
Monte and Fulford's day ended on similar notes with a final score of 76 (+4). Monte led all Eagles after the front nine as he shot an even-par 36 before he dropped a 4-over-par 40 on the back nine to finish the day with a 76. Fulford carded his 76 off even 2-over-pars on the front and back nine, respectively.
“Logan had a great back nine and the rest of the guys really hung in there,” Mays said. “We have to go out and do it two more times.”
Georgia Southern is paired with Arizona State and LSU in Monday's second round and will begin play at 9:30 a.m. on the front nine.
JOHN HAYT INVITATIONAL ? FIRST ROUND SCORES
TEAM SCORES (Par 288)
1.Arizona State University 290 (+2)
2. LSU 296 (+8)
T3. GEORGIA SOUTHERN 298 (+10)
T3. UAB 298 (+10)
T5. Tennessee 299 (+11)
T5. Georgia State Univ. 299 (+11)
7. Coastal Carolina 301 (+13)
8. TCU 302 (+14)
9. Chattanooga 303 (+15)
10. Tulsa 304 (+16)
T11. UNC Wilmington 305 (+17)
T11. North Florida 305 (+17)
13. Alabama 307 (+19)
14. Furman 310 (+22)
15. Duke 314 (+26)
GEORGIA SOUTHERN INDIVIDUAL SCORES
T4.Logan Blondell 72 (E)
T24. Drew Lethem 75 (+3)
T24. Ryan LeFevre 75 (+3)
T32. Joe Monte 76 (+4)
T32. Spencer Fulford 76 (+4)
“We played well today with a total team effort,” said head coach Larry Mays. “The team handled the wind and the tough golf course today.”
Making their first appearance in the tournament, the Eagles battled through the gusty winds to claim a first round score of 298 (+10). Blondell leads the Eagles after the first round, tying for fourth. The Eagle opened on the front nine going 3-over-par with two birdies for a 39. Blondell then excelled on the back nine with two birdies and one bogey leading him in to the 18th hole two-over par. Blondell then shot an eagle on the 510 yard 18 to propel him to a 3-under-par back nine for an even-par 72 first round score. Blondell was one of only seven players to shoot an even-par or better in the opening round of the tournament.
Drew Lethem and Ryan LeFevre each shot a 75, tying them for 24th as Joe Monte and Spencer Fulford completed the Eagles' lineup each shooting a 76, placing them in a 10-way tie for 32nd. Freshman Sean Brannan made the trip with Georgia Southern competing on an individual basis. He carded a 91 through the first round, putting him in 84th place.
Lethem finished round one with a 75 (+3) after opening the day with a 37 (+1) front nine with two birdies and three bogeys before rounding out the day on the back nine with a 38 (+2). Lethem was 4-over par heading into the last hole before he birdied to card a final 3-over par. LeFevre shot the opposite, carding a 2-over-par in the opening nine and a 1-over-par in the final stretch to tie Lethem with a 75 (+3) first round score. LeFevre shot an even-par course except on holes four and 16 where he shot a double bogey and bogey, respectively.
Monte and Fulford's day ended on similar notes with a final score of 76 (+4). Monte led all Eagles after the front nine as he shot an even-par 36 before he dropped a 4-over-par 40 on the back nine to finish the day with a 76. Fulford carded his 76 off even 2-over-pars on the front and back nine, respectively.
“Logan had a great back nine and the rest of the guys really hung in there,” Mays said. “We have to go out and do it two more times.”
Georgia Southern is paired with Arizona State and LSU in Monday's second round and will begin play at 9:30 a.m. on the front nine.
JOHN HAYT INVITATIONAL ? FIRST ROUND SCORES
TEAM SCORES (Par 288)
1.Arizona State University 290 (+2)
2. LSU 296 (+8)
T3. GEORGIA SOUTHERN 298 (+10)
T3. UAB 298 (+10)
T5. Tennessee 299 (+11)
T5. Georgia State Univ. 299 (+11)
7. Coastal Carolina 301 (+13)
8. TCU 302 (+14)
9. Chattanooga 303 (+15)
10. Tulsa 304 (+16)
T11. UNC Wilmington 305 (+17)
T11. North Florida 305 (+17)
13. Alabama 307 (+19)
14. Furman 310 (+22)
15. Duke 314 (+26)
GEORGIA SOUTHERN INDIVIDUAL SCORES
T4.Logan Blondell 72 (E)
T24. Drew Lethem 75 (+3)
T24. Ryan LeFevre 75 (+3)
T32. Joe Monte 76 (+4)
T32. Spencer Fulford 76 (+4)
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