University of Memphis Athletics
Sunday, May 1
Lecanto, Fla.
University of Memphis
vs
American Athletic Conference Championship
Photo by: Joe Murphy
Memphis Opens The American Championship in Fifth Place
May 01, 2016 | Men's Golf
Thomas Perrot is tied for sixth after the first round
LECANTO, Fla. – The Memphis men's golf team carded a first-round 294 (+6) at the 2016 American Athletic Conference Championships, and stand in fifth place in the field through the first of three rounds, played over three days.
Memphis 294 is just behind UCF's 293 and Houston's 290. Fifteenth ranked South Florida leads the field after the first day with a three-under 285, with East Carolina standing two strokes behind at 287. Cincinnati (295), Tulsa (300), UConn (302), and Temple (304) round out the nine teams in the field.
The Tigers were led on the first day by senior Thomas Perrot, whose one-under 71 has him tied for sixth in the field, one-third of the way through the championships. Perrot had a rough start, as he bogeyed the opening hole at the par-72, 7,025-yard Black Diamond Ranch course.
Perrot answered back quickly with a birdie on the par-four second hole, and then two more birdies on the fifth and sixth holes, putting him at two under par at the turn. He birdied the 10th hole to put him at three-under par, his low mark of the day, before bogeying the 12th and 18th holes, sending him into the clubhouse with a one-under par 71.
Eithel McGowen, who has been one of the program's steadiest golfers this season had an up-and-down first round that saw five bogeys, four birdies, and nine pars. He opened the round with two pars before bogeying the third, fourth, and sixth holes to put him three over par. A birdie on the par-three eighth hole dropped him to two over par until a bogey on the 12th bumped him back to three-over.
He closed the round strong, with three birdies, a bogey, and a par over the final five holes, and shot one-under par over the back nine, and one over for the entire round, tying him for 12th in the field through the first day.
Lars van Meijel, after being named to the Jack Nicklaus Award watch list, had a tumultuous opening round that saw an even number of pars (6) to birdies (6) and bogeys/double bogeys (6). He opened the round with a birdie on the first hole, but a bogey on the second hole and a double-bogey on the third put him at two over par, and he was not able to dip back under par again in the round.
He righted the ship over the next 11 holes with four birdies, two bogeys, and four pars; however, he hit a rough patch over the 16th and 17th holes with a bogey on the par-four 16th and a double-bogey on the par-three 17th to put him at three-over par. He gained some momentum into tomorrow's round as he closed his 18 holes with a birdie on the par-five 18th to put him at two under par – tied for 20th in the field – after the first day.
Sydney Chung was the team's final scorer, as he shot an even 38 on both the front and back nine – two over par on each – and finished tied for 31st with a four-over 76. He opened his round with five straight pars before back-to-back bogeys on the sixth and seventh holes put him at two over par. He closed the front nine with two straight pars to put him at two-over at the turn.
After opening the back nine with a par, he had a three-hole struggle with a bogey on the 11th, double bogey on the 12th, and bogey on the 13th to put him at six over par for the day. He was able to recover starting with a birdie on the par-five 14th hole, and another birdie on the par-four 16th hole dropped him to four over par for the day, which is where he stayed after back-to-back pars to close the round.
Taylor McCullum had a par over his first six holes, and eight total in the front nine; however, a triple bogey on the par-four seventh hole put him at three-over par at the turn.
A birdie on the par-four 11th hole was sandwiched by bogeys on the 10th, 12th, and 13th holes, and a double-bogey on the par-four 15th hole put him at his final aggregate score of seven-over, as he closed the round with three straight pars. His seven-over 79 put him in a tie for 40th place in the field with 36 holes to play.
The Tigers tee off on Monday morning at 7 am CT starting on the first hole and playing the round with UCF and Cincinnati.
Memphis 294 is just behind UCF's 293 and Houston's 290. Fifteenth ranked South Florida leads the field after the first day with a three-under 285, with East Carolina standing two strokes behind at 287. Cincinnati (295), Tulsa (300), UConn (302), and Temple (304) round out the nine teams in the field.
The Tigers were led on the first day by senior Thomas Perrot, whose one-under 71 has him tied for sixth in the field, one-third of the way through the championships. Perrot had a rough start, as he bogeyed the opening hole at the par-72, 7,025-yard Black Diamond Ranch course.
Perrot answered back quickly with a birdie on the par-four second hole, and then two more birdies on the fifth and sixth holes, putting him at two under par at the turn. He birdied the 10th hole to put him at three-under par, his low mark of the day, before bogeying the 12th and 18th holes, sending him into the clubhouse with a one-under par 71.
Eithel McGowen, who has been one of the program's steadiest golfers this season had an up-and-down first round that saw five bogeys, four birdies, and nine pars. He opened the round with two pars before bogeying the third, fourth, and sixth holes to put him three over par. A birdie on the par-three eighth hole dropped him to two over par until a bogey on the 12th bumped him back to three-over.
He closed the round strong, with three birdies, a bogey, and a par over the final five holes, and shot one-under par over the back nine, and one over for the entire round, tying him for 12th in the field through the first day.
Lars van Meijel, after being named to the Jack Nicklaus Award watch list, had a tumultuous opening round that saw an even number of pars (6) to birdies (6) and bogeys/double bogeys (6). He opened the round with a birdie on the first hole, but a bogey on the second hole and a double-bogey on the third put him at two over par, and he was not able to dip back under par again in the round.
He righted the ship over the next 11 holes with four birdies, two bogeys, and four pars; however, he hit a rough patch over the 16th and 17th holes with a bogey on the par-four 16th and a double-bogey on the par-three 17th to put him at three-over par. He gained some momentum into tomorrow's round as he closed his 18 holes with a birdie on the par-five 18th to put him at two under par – tied for 20th in the field – after the first day.
Sydney Chung was the team's final scorer, as he shot an even 38 on both the front and back nine – two over par on each – and finished tied for 31st with a four-over 76. He opened his round with five straight pars before back-to-back bogeys on the sixth and seventh holes put him at two over par. He closed the front nine with two straight pars to put him at two-over at the turn.
After opening the back nine with a par, he had a three-hole struggle with a bogey on the 11th, double bogey on the 12th, and bogey on the 13th to put him at six over par for the day. He was able to recover starting with a birdie on the par-five 14th hole, and another birdie on the par-four 16th hole dropped him to four over par for the day, which is where he stayed after back-to-back pars to close the round.
Taylor McCullum had a par over his first six holes, and eight total in the front nine; however, a triple bogey on the par-four seventh hole put him at three-over par at the turn.
A birdie on the par-four 11th hole was sandwiched by bogeys on the 10th, 12th, and 13th holes, and a double-bogey on the par-four 15th hole put him at his final aggregate score of seven-over, as he closed the round with three straight pars. His seven-over 79 put him in a tie for 40th place in the field with 36 holes to play.
The Tigers tee off on Monday morning at 7 am CT starting on the first hole and playing the round with UCF and Cincinnati.
Players Mentioned
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