The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Chris Schenkel Invitational
No. 29 Men's Golf In Sixth At Schenkel Invite
3/16/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
March 16, 2012
STATESBORO, Ga. - Sophomore Sam Love and freshman Paul Dunne each carded a two-under par 70 to lead the 29th-ranked UAB men's golf team in the opening round of the 33rd annual Chris Schenkel Invitational, hosted by Georgia Southern. As a team, the Blazers are in a tie for sixth overall with a two-under par 286.
"I thought we played pretty well today and really stepped our game up over the second nine holes," UAB head coach Alan Kaufman. "Paul and Sam played well and I thought Wilson (McDonald) had a good day. Alabama just played incredible, so I don't think anyone is going to catch them. But I think we have a good chance for a top three finish if we continue to play well."
Both Dunne and Love recorded their best rounds of the spring season to pace the Blazers on Friday. Both golfers are in 14th entering the second round of the three-day, 54-hole event.
Sophmore Wilson McDonald's even par 72 matched his best 18-hole mark of the season and is in a tie for 24th overall.
Junior Hunter Hawkins carded a two-over par 74 on the 6,692-yard Forest Heights Country Club golf course and is in a tie for 48th overall, while sophomore Thomas Sutton rounded out the Blazers in 62nd overall with a 76.
Alabama, ranked No. 7 in the nation, shot a course record score of 20-under par 268 to hold a 12-stroke advantage over No. 24 Florida and Mississippi (280) after day one of the event. Second-ranked Auburn (282) is in fourth, while No. 26 Virginia (283) rounds out the top five.
The 14-team field featured six teams ranked among the top 30 in the nation.
Play will continue on Saturday morning. Live stats can be found by logging onto Golfstat.com.
