Eagles tied for ninth after opening round at Super Regional

CONOVER, N.C. - Carson-Newman junior Gavin Hay (Glasgow, Scotland) shot a 2-under par 70 and is tied for third and the Eagles are tied for ninth after the opening round of the 2012 NCAA D-II Men's Golf Southeast Super Regional, played Monday at the Jones Course at Rock Barn Golf Club.

Hay birdied the 16^th and 18^th holes to surge into the top three late in the day on Monday. The first team All-South Atlantic Conference selection fired a 34 on the back nine to crowded seven-way tie for third. He had five birdies in his round.

Hay, and steady play from sophomore Jonathan Kim-Moss (Ontario, Canada.), carried the Eagles in the opening round of the 54-hole event. Kim-Moss had three birdies and three bogeys in his even-par round of 72 and is in a nine-way tie for 10^th.

C-N is tied for ninth with UNC Pembroke at 296 (+8).

Only nine strokes separate 15 teams in the middle of the field. The Sunshine State Conference is crowding the top of the field, led by Florida Tech, which leads at 2-under (286). Lynn University is second after an even-par 288. Eckerd College and Barry University are tied for seventh, one stroke ahead of the Eagles and Braves. SAC foe Wingate is 17^th, eight places, but only three strokes behind the Eagles.

The top five teams in the 20-team field advance to next week's NCAA D-II Championships in Louisville, Ky.

Sophomore Michael Horenkamp gave the Eagles a solid third score with a 3-over 75. After an up-and-down start, he parred 13 of his last 15 holes.

SAC Golfer of the Year Liam Ashby (Dublin, Ireland) finished with a 79 and is tied for 88^th, while senior Alex Coughlin (Jefferson City, Tenn.) struggled to an 87.

Georgia Southwestern's J.P. Griffin leads the tournament after a 68 on Monday, two strokes ahead of the Eagles.

-C-N-