April 16, 2007
KERRVILLE, Texas -
Complete Tournament results
The UT Arlington men's golf team could not find their putting touch as each Maverick recorded at least one three putt during the day as the squad finished the opening round of the Southland Conference Men's Golf Championship with a round of 305.
UT Arlington enters Tuesday round in fourth place. Defending champion Lamar leads the tournament after the only under-par score of the day at four-under-par 284. Southeastern Louisiana and Texas-San Antonio are tied for second at two-over-par 290.
UT Arlington (305), Sam Houston State and Texas State are tied (309), Stephen F. Austin (315), McNeese State (322), Central Arkansas (323) and Nicholls State (329) round out the field.
"We have two days to get better," said UT Arlington Head Golf Coach Jay Rees. "We had too many sloppy double bogeys and too many three putts we had to count at the end of the day. We just need to eliminate mistakes to get back into the game."
Golfers streamed off the 18th green shaking their heads as the course that yielded low scores during Sunday's practice round, became unforgiving as the winds blew across the Comanche Trace Golf Course.
Junior Zack Reeves is tied for eighth place after an opening round 73.
Freshman Michael van de Venter had four three putts during the round but managed to finished with a two-over-par 74.
Freshman Bryce Easton had three double bogeys on the back nine and finished with a six-over-par 42 on the backside to card a 78.
Freshman Bobby Massa struggled with his short game and scored an 80 while senior Bryan Baker had five three putts to finish with an 81. He rallied after a 44 on the front nine to play the back nine in 37.
UTSA's Thomas Kearney, Casey Clendenon or Lamar and Southeastern Louisiana's Matt Carvell posted rounds of 70 to share the individual lead.
Lamar's Oliver Bekker and Justin Harding and SLU's Hugo Leon are one stroke back at 71.
Sam Houston's Robert Gwin and Lamar's Dawie van der Walt is seventh with an even-par 72.
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