College Men’s Golf – Manring’s 66 Helps Guilford to Second Place Halfway Through Royal Lakes Invite

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – Guilford College junior Addison Manring (Stoneville, N.C./McMichael) shot a career- and round-low six-under-par 66 in the first round of the Royal Lakes Fall Invitational Monday. Teammates Zach Evens and James Mishoe also had subpar rounds to help the Quakers to second place at the 18-team event’s halfway point.

Guilford’s Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) rival, Hampden-Sydney College, shot 10-under 278 on the par-72, 6,826-yard Royal Lakes layout in suburban Atlanta. The Tigers hold a two-stroke lead over the Quakers, followed by Babson College and tournament host Oglethorpe University, both of whom sit four strokes off the lead at -6. All four Hampden-Sydney scorers shot under par and stand among the top-19 individuals.

Manring made the turn at three-under thanks to an eagle on the par-four sixth hole. He made four of his five birdies in the round on the back nine, including one on the par-five 18th hole. Manring holds a one-stroke lead over three golfers in the 102-man field: Oglethorpe’s Kenny Park, Babson’s Chris Elmhorst, and California Lutheran University’s Jeffrey Perry. Adam Hade’s four-under 68 led Hampden-Sydney and put him in a share of fifth place.

Guilford’s Evens is tied for seventh place after a solid round of 69 that featured four birdies, 13 pars, and one bogey. Mishoe, the reigning Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Men’s Golfer of the Week, had five birdies in his two-under 70 that stands 14th. Guilford’s Louis Lambert is tied for 51st after shooting 75. Senior transfer Josh Allen made his competitive Guilford debut with an 84.

Coach Adam Crawford’s club, ranked fifth in the current Bushnell Golfweek Division III Coaches’ Poll, tees off starting at 9:53 in Tuesday’s final round. Guilford is the highest-ranked among the five competing in the tournament.