The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Billy Hitchcock Invitational
Blazers Turn In Solid First Round At Hitchcock
4/8/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
April 8, 2005
AUBURN, Ala. - Garrett Osborn and Ryan Thomas each shot one-over-par 73 on the first day of the Billy Hitchcock Intercollegiate hosted by Auburn University to lead UAB to a fifth-place standing out of 12 teams with two rounds to play. UAB's first round 299 was 11-over-par for the team scoring, tied with South Alabama and just 16 shots off the lead, held by No. 6 Auburn.
"The course played very hard," UAB head coach Alan Kaufman said. "It was wet from the rain and the play was long. We played poorly on the front nine, but once we got going, we had a nice comeback on the back nine. I like where we are and definitely think we're in good position."
Clark Brown shot a four-over-par 76 in the first round while Chris Cousins and Kaylor Timmons both carded five-over 77s for the Blazers. Ian Rochester of Memphis has the individual lead after a first-round, seven-under-par 65. Tyler McKeever and Lee Williams of Auburn and South Alabama's Johnny Caldwell are all tied for second after first-round 69s. Overall, 10 players finished the first round at or under par. Osborn and Thomas are tied with three others for 12th place at one-over on the par-72, 7,207-yard Auburn University Club course at Yarbrough Farms.
Host and first round leader Auburn shot a five-under 283 team tally Friday. The Tigers are followed by Charlotte (290), Memphis (295) and Ole Miss (298). UAB and South Alabama are ahead of the College of Charleston (302), Jacksonville State (304) and No. 17 Georgia State (305), as well as Southeast Louisiana (306), Mississippi State (308) and Illinois (314) which round out the field.
The three-round, three-day tournament continues Saturday with round two with the third and final round being played Sunday. Live coverage can be found online at www.bamagolf.com. The Hitchcock Intercollegiate is UAB's final test before competing in the Conference USA Tournament on April 18-20 in Biloxi, Miss.
