North Carolina is off to a fast start at the Southern Highlands Collegiate
Austin Greaser (Todd Drexler photo)
All five of North Carolina's players shot rounds of par or better on Sunday as the third-ranked Tar Heels combined for a team score of 17-under 271 to take a seven-shot lead after the first round of the Southern Highlands Collegiate in Las Vegas.
No. 12 Pepperdine is seven back while No. 8 Florida and No. 11 Texas are tied for third at 5-under.
North Carolina senior
Austin Greaser had seven birdies and an eagle on his Sunday card en route to an 8-under 64, which gives the reigning
Western Amateur champion a share of the first-round lead with Pepperdine's
Sam Choi and two-time Asia-Pacific Amateur champion
Yuxin Lin of Florida.
In addition to Greaser's 64,
Dylan Menante shot 4-under 68,
David Ford had a 69,
Ryan Burnett shot 70 and
Peter Fountain posted an even-par 72.
Pepperdine, which is coming off an impressive win at The Prestige last week, is in second after shooting a 10-under 278. Choi (-8; 64) and
Roberto Nieves (-2; 70) were the only two players in red numbers for the Waves, which also counted even par rounds turned in by
William Mouw and
Derek Hitchner.
The Longhorns couldn't find another hot hand to go along with
Christiaan Maas' opening round of 66 and are tied with Florida, which was paced by co-leader Lin's 8-under 64, which tied his career low round.
The Southern Highlands Collegiate also marks the debut of highly-touted freshman
Tommy Morrison. Competing as an individual, Morrison made four birdies against two bogeys on his way to an opening-round score of 70.
The Southern Highlands Collegiate continues with 18 holes on Monday, Feb. 27 and concludes with 18 holes on Tuesday, Feb. 28.
ABOUT THE Southern Highlands Collegiate
54 hole men's college tournament hosted by UNLV.
Team (best four scores of five players each day) and
individual competitions.
View Complete Tournament Information