Timuquana Country Club
(FSGA Photo)

One day after shooting a 1-under 71, Tuten got off to a fast start with 2nd and 4th hole birdies before battling to remain in the mix for the remainder of the round. The trouble for Tuten began with consecutive bogeys on Nos. 7 and 8 and it continued with additional dropped shots on the 10th, 13th, 14th, 16th-18th holes. During that stretch Tuten was able to sprinkle in a birdie on No. 12.

2014 Coleman Invitational winner Patrick Christovich moved into a tie for the lead after ending his day where he began it at 4-over. On Saturday Christovich shot the round of the day, an even-par 72, that included five birdies and five bogeys. Christovich played impressive golf early on the front nine with four birdies in a row from Nos. 3-6.

Butler Melnyk, Derek Camps and William Mitchell are just one shot back at 5-over in a tie for third as overall eight players including defending champion Joseph Deraney (+8) are within four of the lead.

ROUND ONE RECAP

Chris Tuten was the only player to break par on Friday and as a result he is the first round leader of the Timuquana Cup hosted by Timuquana Country Club.

During Friday play Tuten fired a 1-under 71 and he will carry a two-stroke lead into Saturday's second round. Tuten carded two birdies during the round on the 4th and 14th holes while also bogeying the 7th. This weekend Tuten, a Tour rep at Titleist, is looking to improve on a shared 11th finish in the 2014 Timuquana Cup.

Derek Camps birdied the 18th hole and he is in second place at 1-over, Butler Melnyk battled back from a triple-bogey to shoot a 2-over 74 that left him in third place while in fourth at 4-over it is Nick Gilliam, Ron Graham and William Mitchell.

Just one shot further back in a tie for seventh at 4-over are defending champion Joseph Deraney, Patrick Christovich and Rob Couture.

Deraney is just days removed from his runner-up showing at the Carlton Woods Invitational.