RIO GRANDE, PUERTO RICO ?? The University of Alabama men’s golf team shot four under par and is in a tie for fifth place after Sunday’s opening round play at the Puerto Rico Classic. The three day, 54 hole tournament features a field of 18 teams, 15 of whom are Top 30-ranked teams. Alabama is among those top teams as it is ranked No. 5 in the GolfWorld/NIKE Golf Coaches Poll and No. 6 in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings.
Alabama shot 284, four under par as a team Sunday on the par 72 River Course at the Rio Mar Golf Club at the Westin Rio Mar Beach Resort. East Tennessee State leads the field after shooting 15 under par, 273. Georgia is second at nine under par, 279, followed by Oklahoma State, 282, Clemson, 283, Duke and Alabama, 284, Stanford, 285, Georgia Tech and Kent State, 287, Minnesota and Texas at even par, 288, Northwestern, 289, Florida, 291, Virginia Tech, 294, North Carolina State and Illinois, 297, tournament host Purdue, 299, and at 18th, Michigan, 304.
Two golfers from East Tennessee State are co-leaders in the individual standings as both Cian McNamara and Rhys Davies opened at seven under par, 65. A pair of Crimson Tide golfers joins them in the top 10 as Mark Harrell and Matthew Swan are among a five-way tie at seventh. The Alabama duo both shot three under par, 69. Alabama’s Gator Todd shot one under par, 71, and is 23rd. Joseph Sykora shot 75, three over par, and is tied at 59th, and Michael Thompson is a shot back and among at tie at 68th after shooting four over par, 76.
The tournament continues with second round action on Monday and the final round on Tuesday.
