Tigers Start Strong at Franklin American Mortgage Intercollegiate

Sunday, September 18

Franklin, Tenn.

University of Memphis

The Franklin American Mortgage Intercollegiate at The Grove

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Tigers Start Strong at Franklin American Mortgage Intercollegiate

Sep 18, 2016 | Men's Golf

Round One Results

COLLEGE GROVE, Tenn. - The University of Memphis men's golf team opened play at the 2016 Franklin American Mortgage Company Intercollegiate at the Grove, carding a first-round score of 293, and stand in sixth place of 14 teams in the field, just four strokes out of second place in the field.

The Tigers' 293 was two better than McNeese State, Georgia, and Wisconsin, who are tied for 7th, and four strokes better than first round playing partner Louisiana. Cincinnati leads the field with a first-day 288, while host Middle Tennessee stands second with a 290.

Sydney Chung led the way for the Tigers shoot an even-par 72 on the 7,368-yard course. Chung was never over par on the day, as a birdie on the second hole dropped him to a stroke under par. He evened his round back up with a bogey on the fifth hole, as he carried his even score through the turn with four consecutive pars.

He opened the back nine with three consecutive pars, until he birdied the par-three 13th hole, and then followed with three more pars. Chung bogeyed the 17th hole, before closing the round with a par for his even par 72, tying for seventh in the field.

Camden Backel started strong in the round, opening with a birdie on the first hole and then came back with seven consecutive pars. He bogeyed the par-four eighth hole, before a par put him at the turn with an even par 36.

He remained even par through the first six holes of the back nine, before a bogey on the par-four 16th hole pushed him to a stroke over par. Backel closed the round with back-to-back pars, carding his one-over par 73, tying for 16th.

Freshman Nick Giles also carded a one-over 73, using a team-high four birdies to accomplish the feat. Giles opened the round with a par before birdying the par-five second hole. He then hit a rough stretch with three bogeys over his next four holes, pushing him to two strokes over par through six holes. A par, birdie, and par over the final three holes of the front nine had him at a stroke over par at the turn.

After three pars to start the back nine, Giles birdied the 13th hole to put him at even par. Back-to-back pars kept him at par before he bogeyed the 16th and 17th holes. He closed his round with a birdie, carding a first-round 73.

JC Campbell, playing in his first tournament of the season, opened his round with three straight pars, and then bogeyed the par-four fourth hole. Three more pars followed, before he recorded a double-bogey on the eighth hole. He closed the front nine with a par, making the turn with a three-over 39.

Campbell opened the back nine with a birdie on the par-four 10th hole. Five consecutive pars followed before his final non-par came with a bogey on the 16th hole, and turned in a 75 on his card for the round, tied for 43rd in the tournament.

Kevin Lee had two birdies in his opening round to go with eight pars, seven bogeys and a double bogey, shooting a seven-over 79, tying for 73rd.

The team tees off on Monday morning, starting at 11:03. The tee times for the team are: Kevin Lee, 11:03 a.m.; JC Campbell, 11:12 a.m.; Camden Backel, 11:21 a.m.; Nick Giles, 11:30 a.m.; Sydney Chung, 11:39 a.m.