Muscle Shoals, Ala. – Georgia State battled back from a slow start on Monday at the 2013 Sun Belt Conference Men's Golf Championship to shoot a first round 7-over 295, to stand tied for third with 36 holes to play. Junior Tyler Gruca and sophomore Davin White led the Panthers with opening round 1-over 73's.
Junior Grant Cagle led the Panthers charge back, birding three of his last few holes, going from 6-over just four holes into his round to shooting an opening day 2-over 74.
Georgia State is looking to win its seventh conference title in the last 16 years and first Sun Belt Conference Championship on the Robert Trent Jones Fighting Joe course in Muscle Shoals, Ala. A win would send the Panthers back to the NCAA Regionals for an 11th time in the last 15 years.
“I am really proud of our team,” commented head coach Joe Inman. “A few holes in, we were in deep trouble, but our guys never gave up. Grant really came through for us today and Jonathan, even though his score did not count, fought to the end and gave himself some momentum heading into Tuesday.
“We knew we could not win the tournament on Monday, but because we fought back, we didn't lose it either. With 36 holes to play, we feel like we have a chance, especially playing in the lead group tomorrow.”
Grey, the top ranked golfer in the conference, stumbled out of the gate for the Panthers. The freshman was 10-over after six holes, but then birdied a stretch of five of nine holes to get back to 5-over before a double bogey at the par 3 ninth, the Panthers final hole.
Grey stands tied for 43rd at 7-over in the 55-player field.
Cagle, who stands tied for 14th, shot 74, including a second nine 33 with birdies on his final two holes.
Gruca and White are tied for tenth following opening round 73's. Gruca made a pair of birdies, while White made one on the par 72, 7,500-yard course.
Sophomore Damon Stephenson got off to the best start on the squad and was 1-under through eight holes before finishing with a first round 75 to stand tied for 19th.
No. 49 South Alabama opened the championship with an impressive first round 4-under, 284, to take a nine-stroke lead over Arkansas-Little Rock entering day two. UALR stands at 5-over, followed by Georgia State, No. 38 North Texas and Middle Tennessee at 7-over. Troy stands sixth at 11-over followed by Arkansas State at 12-over.
South Alabama's Lane Hulse leads all individuals after 18 holes following a first round 4-under 68. Middle Tennessee's Lucas Armstrong is second at 3-under, followed by South Alabama's Tyler Klava and Arkansas-Little Rock's Nicklaus Benton at 2-under. South Alabama's Michael Garretson stands alone in fifth at 1-under.
Georgia State will return to the course on Tuesday, teeing off the first hole at 9:45 a.m. ET/8:45 a.m. CT with South Alabama and Arkansas-Little Rock.
With a win this week, Georgia State would advance to one of six NCAA Regional sites, May 16-18. If the Panthers do not take home the championship, there is still an outside shot of receiving an at-large berth into the postseason when the selections are announced.
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