GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Colin Bowles shot 69-74=143, and the Georgia Southern men's golf team sits in ninth place after the first two rounds of the Gator Invitational Saturday at Mark Bostick Golf Club.

The Eagles (+18) are six strokes behind fifth-place South Florida (+12) and two behind Liberty (+16) and Coastal Carolina, who are tied for seventh. Host Florida (-5), ranked 31st in the country, leads the tournament, and No. 19 Vanderbilt is second. The field features seven top-50 teams and six top-100 individuals.

Bowles is tied for 22nd after shooting 69 in the first round, tied for the second-lowest of the morning session. Ben Carr posted 71-73=144 and is tied for 26th. 

The story
Bowles birdied two of his last three holes in the first round and started the tournament by making seven straight pars, a birdie and four more pars. Carr was 1-under on his final 13 holes in the first round, and Brett Barron shot 1-under on the front nine after starting the day on the 10th hole. 

Jake Maples shot 2-under on his final 10 holes of the day, and Carr was 1-under on his final 10. Wilson Andress played his final seven holes even. 

Quotables from Coach Carter Collins
"The team played extremely solid and consistent golf today. With fast, firm, small greens and heavy wind, this is the toughest I've ever seen this course play, and the guys handled it better than any course we have played all year. We all have a few things to clean up heading into tomorrow, but so far, the team has taken a big step forward to get our spring off to a solid start."

Scores
Team – 289-289=578 (+18), 9
Colin Bowles – 69-74=143 (+3), T22
Ben Carr- 71-73=144 (+4), T26
Jake Maples – 75-70=145 (+5), T35
Brett Barron – 74-76=150 (+10), T61
Wilson Andress – 82-72=154 (+14), T76

Next up
The Eagles play the third and final round tomorrow. GS is paired with Liberty and Coastal Carolina and tees off the first hole at 8 a.m.