Max McGreevy
(Oklahoma Athletics Photo)
ALPHARETTA, GA (October 21, 2016) -- With a 5-under tally the Oklahoma Sooners have grabbed a two-stroke lead after the first day of play at the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate. Duke, at 3-under is the only other team under-par and they will begin Saturday's second round at The Golf Club of Georgia in second place.
“It was another great start for us, and I am proud of our guys,” Boomer Sooner head coach Ryan Hybl told Oklahoma athletics. “We had four scores at par or better today, and it was windy with tough flags. Our guys feel good.”
No. 9 Oklahoma was paced on day one by senior Max McGreevy, who with a 4-under 68 is tied for second. The Division I PING All-America Third Teamer last year began his round with the first of his three front nine birdies as he turned in 3-under 33. The only blemish of the day for McGreevy came on the 12th but he was able to rebound with 15th and 17th hole birdies.
“It was good to see Max play a great round today,” Hybl said.
Through 18-holes Oklahoma, looking for their second win of the season, is currently represented by three other players in the top-20. Sophomore Blaine Hale is tied for eighth after a 1-under 71 while sophomore Brad Dalke and junior Grant Hirschman are tied for 17th following even-par 72's.
Pacing the medalist race is Virginia's Jimmy Stanger. An All-ACC performer a year ago, Stanger started his weekend with a 5-under 67. 1-over through seven holes, the Cavalier senior turned his day around with two consecutive birdies and overall four in a five hole stretch to reach 3-under. Stanger, who won the Southeastern Amateur over the summer, inched his way lower with additional birdies on the 15th and 18th holes.
Joining McGreevy in second place and one-stroke behind Stanger at 4-under are Duke's Chandler Eaton and Auburn's Will Long. Sam Burns of LSU is in fifth at 3-under. A total of 15 players are within four-strokes of the lead.
Behind Oklahoma and Duke in the team standings are No. 7 Virginia (+1) in third and No. 22 Texas A&M (+3); No. 23 Texas (+3) in fourth. A total of 11 teams from the latest Bushnell Golfweek Coaches Poll are in the field this weekend.
-Oklahoma Athletics contributed to this story
ABOUT THE
Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate
The United States Collegiate Championship,
hosted by Georgia Tech, annually brings 15 of
the nation's top college teams to The Golf Club
of Georgia for a three-day, 54-hole
tournament
that has been called "the Masters of college
golf.” Started in 2006, the USCC offers PGA
Tour-type, championship conditions for the
nation's finest college players, including a
personal caddie for all three rounds. Long
pants
are required and galleries are able to walk in
the
fairways behind the players, similar to the
Walker Cup. The USCC crowns a Team
Champion
and Individual Champion and honors them on
the
perpetual mahogany, gold and crystal USCC
Trophy, which sits in The Golf Club of Georgia
lobby.
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