Jeg Coughlin
(Competition Plus Photo)

Through his first 36-holes Coughlin has bogeyed just once, while tallying nine birdies. His only bogey to this point came on the 17th hole of his Friday round. The dropped shot didn't shake Coughlin one bit as he responded with his sixth birdie of the round on the closing hole.

Coughlin began his round with birdies on Nos. 2 and 5 and then continued his strong play with back nine birdies on holes 10, 12 and 14.

Three players --Jackson Spires (ECU), last week's Virginia Amateur winner Joey Lane (Virginia Tech) and Australian James Grierson-- are tied for second and a shot back at 7-under. Of the group in second place Grierson had the most interesting day.

On the front nine Grierson birdied six holes, including three in a row from holes 2-4 to turn in 5-under 30 and reach 10-under-par for the week. Today marked the second consecutive day that Grierson birdied holes 2-4 in succession.

Grierson got as low as 11-under during the second round with a birdie on the 11th before he gave most of his hard work back with a quadruple-bogey on the par-4 14th. A birdie and a bogey during the closing stretch saw Grierson close in 3-over 38.

First round leader and future Arizona State golfer, Ryan Douglass is part of a four way tie for fifth at 5-under. Defending champion James Clark (Georgia Tech) is also a part of the 5-under group.

ROUND ONE RECAP

Future Arizona State Sun Devil Ryan Douglass opened the Eastern Amateur with a 6-under 64 to take the first round lead. Douglass will carry a one-stroke lead over three golfers into the second round.

On Thursday Douglass got off to a quick start with birdies on two of his first three holes before a bogey on the 4th, his only dropped shot of the day. Following a string of pars Douglass posted a front nine 1-under 34.

On the back nine the future Sun Devil really got things rolling with birdies on 11, 12, 15, 17 and 18 to close in a sweltering 5-under 30.

A trio of players presently share second place as they sit at 5-under thanks to first round 65's.

Australian James Grierson tallied six birdies and one bogey during his opening round. Grierson birdied three straight holes early his round to jump start his day.

Last week's Virginia Amateur winner and Virginia Tech golfer Joey Lane also posted a six birdie one bogey scorecard. His birds came on holes 2, 7, 8, 10, 17 and 18.

Jack Musgrave of Georgetown University was the only player amongst the leaders to post a bogey-free round. Musgrave carded five birdies, three on the front nine during his opening round.

Timothy Colanta (Maryland) and David Donovan IV are 4-under and tied for fourth.

Defending champion James Clark (Georgia Tech) shot an even-par 70 in the first round. Following the completion of play on Friday the field will be cut to the top 80 and ties.

In all 26 players posted under-par scores during Thursday's first round.