University of Memphis Athletics
Monday, May 16
Kohler, Wis.
University of Memphis
vs
NCAA Regional
Photo by: Ricky Bassman
Tigers Stand 13th After First Day at NCAA Regionals
May 16, 2016 | Men's Golf
Taylor McCullum and Eithel McGowen lead the Tigers on the first day
KOHLER, Wis. – The Memphis men's golf team shot a 298, finishing 10 strokes over par, as Taylor McCullum and Eithel McGowen lead the Tigers after the first round with two-over pars 74.
Sixteenth-ranked Florida and unranked Idaho lead the field at five-under-par with a 283, as 10th ranked Florida State and 45th ranked Kent State fill out the top four teams in the field on the par 72, 7,123-yard Blackwolf Run - Meadow Valley course.
"This was not the day we were looking for, we struggled with big numbers and not taking advantage of the easier holes," said Memphis head coach Blake Smart. "Fortunately for us, our field is very compact and we still have a chance. I told the guys that we have our bad round out of the way, and we have to see where two goods rounds can get us."
McGowen, Memphis' third player in the lineup, started strong with a birdie on the par-four, 382-yard opening hole. He followed with a par before recording a bogey on the third hole. Back-to-back pars was followed with a double-bogey on the sixth hole and a bogey on the seventh to put him at three-over par, which was the aggregate score he took into the turn.
He alternated between par and birdie over the next six holes to put him at even par; however, he closed with back-to-back bogeys to finish the back nine at one-under par, and the 18 holes with a 74, two strokes over par.
Redshirt sophomore Taylor McCullum, who has shot a 75 or better in seven of his last nine rounds, also shot a 74, which is tied for 42nd best score in the field. His front nine opened with back-to-back pars, before he sandwiched a birdie on the fourth holes with bogeys on the third and fifth holes. Three straight pars followed, as he closed the front nine with a double-bogey six on the par-four ninth hole.
On the back nine he opened with a par before recording birdies on the 11th and 12th holes to drop him to one over par. A par kept him at one over until he bogeyed the par-four 14th hole, pushing him to two over par, where he stayed for the remainder of the round as he closed with four straight pars to finish with the 74.
Senior Thomas Perrot had an up-and-down round that saw five birdies, six pars, and six above-par holes. He opened with a bogey on the first hole; however, followed with a par and then back-to-back birdies on the third and fourth holes. Two straight bogeys were followed by a birdie on the par-five seventh hole to put him at even par. He closed the front nine and went into the turn with an even 36.
Birdies on the par-four 10th hole and the par five 11th hole put him at two strokes under par, which he held through the next two holes with back-to-back pars. He struggled at the close with three bogeys and a double bogey to put him at three over par in the clubhouse, and is tied for 55th in the field.
Junior Lars van Meijel was the model of consistency for the Tigers, as he opened his round with pars on each of the first eight holes of the round. He made the turn at one over par following his first non-par of the round.
After the turn he put up a four-over par eight on the par-four 10th hole, but answered immediately after with a birdie on the par-five 11th hole. Six straight pars followed, as he closed the round with a birdie on the par-four 18th hole to put him at three over par with a 75, tied with Perrot for 55th overall.
Sydney Chung carded a six-over 78 to stand in a tie for 71st in the field. He opened the round with a bogey on the first hole, and followed with four straight pars. He bogeyed back-to-back holes on the sixth and seventh holes, and was followed with a double-bogey on the eighth to put him at five over par.
He opened the back nine with two pars, before a bogey pushed him to six strokes over par. He birdied the par-four 14th hole, before a bogey on the 16th hole pushed him back to six strokes over par. He ended the round with pars on the 17th and 18th holes to close the day with a six-over par 78.
The Tigers return to action on Tuesday morning for the second of three days at the Kohler Regional.
Sixteenth-ranked Florida and unranked Idaho lead the field at five-under-par with a 283, as 10th ranked Florida State and 45th ranked Kent State fill out the top four teams in the field on the par 72, 7,123-yard Blackwolf Run - Meadow Valley course.
"This was not the day we were looking for, we struggled with big numbers and not taking advantage of the easier holes," said Memphis head coach Blake Smart. "Fortunately for us, our field is very compact and we still have a chance. I told the guys that we have our bad round out of the way, and we have to see where two goods rounds can get us."
McGowen, Memphis' third player in the lineup, started strong with a birdie on the par-four, 382-yard opening hole. He followed with a par before recording a bogey on the third hole. Back-to-back pars was followed with a double-bogey on the sixth hole and a bogey on the seventh to put him at three-over par, which was the aggregate score he took into the turn.
He alternated between par and birdie over the next six holes to put him at even par; however, he closed with back-to-back bogeys to finish the back nine at one-under par, and the 18 holes with a 74, two strokes over par.
Redshirt sophomore Taylor McCullum, who has shot a 75 or better in seven of his last nine rounds, also shot a 74, which is tied for 42nd best score in the field. His front nine opened with back-to-back pars, before he sandwiched a birdie on the fourth holes with bogeys on the third and fifth holes. Three straight pars followed, as he closed the front nine with a double-bogey six on the par-four ninth hole.
On the back nine he opened with a par before recording birdies on the 11th and 12th holes to drop him to one over par. A par kept him at one over until he bogeyed the par-four 14th hole, pushing him to two over par, where he stayed for the remainder of the round as he closed with four straight pars to finish with the 74.
Senior Thomas Perrot had an up-and-down round that saw five birdies, six pars, and six above-par holes. He opened with a bogey on the first hole; however, followed with a par and then back-to-back birdies on the third and fourth holes. Two straight bogeys were followed by a birdie on the par-five seventh hole to put him at even par. He closed the front nine and went into the turn with an even 36.
Birdies on the par-four 10th hole and the par five 11th hole put him at two strokes under par, which he held through the next two holes with back-to-back pars. He struggled at the close with three bogeys and a double bogey to put him at three over par in the clubhouse, and is tied for 55th in the field.
Junior Lars van Meijel was the model of consistency for the Tigers, as he opened his round with pars on each of the first eight holes of the round. He made the turn at one over par following his first non-par of the round.
After the turn he put up a four-over par eight on the par-four 10th hole, but answered immediately after with a birdie on the par-five 11th hole. Six straight pars followed, as he closed the round with a birdie on the par-four 18th hole to put him at three over par with a 75, tied with Perrot for 55th overall.
Sydney Chung carded a six-over 78 to stand in a tie for 71st in the field. He opened the round with a bogey on the first hole, and followed with four straight pars. He bogeyed back-to-back holes on the sixth and seventh holes, and was followed with a double-bogey on the eighth to put him at five over par.
He opened the back nine with two pars, before a bogey pushed him to six strokes over par. He birdied the par-four 14th hole, before a bogey on the 16th hole pushed him back to six strokes over par. He ended the round with pars on the 17th and 18th holes to close the day with a six-over par 78.
The Tigers return to action on Tuesday morning for the second of three days at the Kohler Regional.
Players Mentioned
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