Samford University
Day One (Francis Marion Invite)
Men's Golf Shines On Opening Day Of Spring Hill Suites Intercollegiate
9.12.11 | Men's Golf
Sept. 12, 2011
FLORENCE, S.C. - The Samford University men's golf team fired a two-round score of 573 (285-288) on Monday to open the 2011 Spring Hill Suites Intercollegiate in second place at the Country Club of South Carolina. The Bulldogs finished with three players shooting under par in the opening round of competition, while junior Bill Nabors rounded out the day tied for fourth place at 139 (70-69).
Samford's Nabors, Gabe Hyde and Casey O'Toole all posted below-par numbers on the first 18 holes of the day. Nabors, the Bulldogs' native of Decatur, Ala., turned in an opening round of 70, while both Hyde and O'Toole carded identical scores of 70.
Heading into Tuesday's final round of competition, Samford trails first-place Furman by only two strokes. Furman concluded the opening 36 holes of play with a team score of 571 (288-283). Rounding out the top five teams in the competition are College of Charleston (287-288=575), South Carolina-Aiken (288-288=576) and Charleston Southern (286-291=577).
Samford led Monday's 15-team tournament by a stroke following the first 18 holes of play. The Bulldogs fired a competition-best 285 in the morning session, while Charleston Southern followed closely at 286. Current-leader Furman tallied a 288 in the opening round of action.
Nabors paced Samford Monday by carding a team-best total of 5-under-par 139 (70-69). He was followed by fellow juniors Hyde and O'Toole, who each concluded the first 36 holes of play with identical scores of 145 (71-74).
In his first round as a collegiate athlete, Bulldogs' true freshman Zac Hughes turned in a two-round mark of 146 (75-71), while junior Drew Aimone finished Monday at 149 (73-76).
Furman's Matthew Broome currently leads the individual standings with a 36-hole mark of 7-under-par 137 (68-69).
The final 18 holes of the 2011 Spring Hill Suites Intercollegiate will be contested Tuesday beginning at 7:30 a.m. (CDT). The 54-hole, 15-team event is being played on the 7,062-yard, par 72 Country Club of South Carolina course.
