SANDESTIN, Fla. – Senior
Jake Storey and junior
Steven Fisk combined to shoot 1-over-par and lead the Georgia Southern men's golf team into a tie for fifth in the first round of the Sun Belt Championship Sunday at Raven Golf Club.
The top four teams after 54 holes of stroke play advance to match play Wednesday, and the match-play champion receives the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.
The Eagles (+14) are tied with Troy, four strokes behind the leader Coastal Carolina (+10). South Alabama (+11) and UTA are tied for second, and Texas State is fourth (+12). Just six strokes separate the top eight teams.
Storey birdied 18 to shoot an even-par 71, and Fisk shot 1-under on the back nine to finish the day with a 1-over 72. Storey is tied for fourth, just a shot back of a three-way pileup for first, and Fisk is tied for seventh, two shots behind the leader.
The medalist also receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship, and the duo tied for first last year with Fisk taking medalist honors in a four-way playoff.
Luukas Alakulppi carded a 77, and
Jacob Bayer shot a 78 as the pair are playing in their first Sun Belt Championship and first tournament round at Raven Golf Club.
Archer Price, who has finished in the top-12 each of the last two seasons, posted a 79.
The story
Storey made birdie on two of his first three holes, ran off six consecutive pars and birdied the 10th to move to 2-under. He made two more birdies on the back, including at 18 to finish the round.
Fisk played his first eight holes even and birdied 10 and 11 to shoot 1-under on the back. Alakulppi made par on his first three holes and parred seven of nine to finish the day, and Bayer played the back nine even.
After a tough start to the day, the Eagle counters combined to shoot 2-over as a team on the back nine.
Quotables from Coach Carter Collins
"The wind strength and direction made this course play as difficult as I've ever seen it, but I thought we battled very well to be in good position after the first round."
"We have a big challenge ahead of us over the next few days, but we are prepared for this. We can't wait to get after it tomorrow."
Next up
The Eagles are paired with Troy and Texas State for tomorrow's second round and will tee off the first hole at 8:30 a.m. ET. The course is slated to play a little longer each day and will play 6,879 yards tomorrow.
