JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – The Carson-Newman men's golf team is in fifth-place after the first round of the Benbow Intercollegiate hosted by Butler University at Jacksonville Beach Golf Course in Jacksonville Beach, Fla.
The Eagles are the only Division II team competing against six teams from the D-I level.
Freshman Ben Kennard (Corryton, Tenn.) led the Eagles with the low round of the day with a 75. No golfer from any team broke even on day one.
"After not getting to play golf the last three weeks, the guys were a little rusty today; hopefully, we can build on today's experience and play well tomorrow," coach Randy Wylie said. "Freshman Ben Kennard, who is playing as an individual and not in the starting lineup, was the only one who played well. With a good round tomorrow, we can move up the leaderboard."
Junior Andrew Hall (Knoxville, Tenn.) is tied for 10th with a 76. Hall's 76 is the third-lowest score card he has turned in after a first round in all seven of his tournaments this season.
Sophomore Dalton Reese (Warrenton, Ga.) shot the team's third-lowest score of the day, 77. That's only his fifth round that was scored 77 or higher this season.
Junior Nathan Hodge (Jefferson City, Tenn.) shot an 80 in his first tournament of the spring portion of the team's schedule. He is tied with fellow junior Nicklaus Kennedy (London, Ontario) for 22th-place.
Junior Corey Bray (Caryville, Tenn.) is playing in his first tournament of the spring and his first since October's State Farm Intercollegiate. He shot a first round 84 and in 29th-place.
Florida Atlantic leads the team competition by seven strokes over Cleveland State with a first round combined score of 298. The Owls were the only team out of the seven competing to shoot below 300. Bulter Bulldog Andrew Wiler shot the only the day's low round of 72 to lead three other players by one stroke.
5 Carson-Newman 313
T6 Ben Kennard (Individual) 75
T10 Andrew Hall 76
T14 Dalton Reese 77
T22 Nicklaus Kennedy 80
T22 Nathan Hodge 80
29 Corey Bray 84
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