UNCG Men’s Golf in Top Five After Day 1 of NCAA Regionals

UNCG Men’s Golf in Top Five After Day 1 of NCAA Regionals

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Junior Randall Hudson led the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men’s golf team with a first round five-under-par (67) as the Spartans finished Monday’s action at the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship’s Las Vegas Regional with a share of fifth place. The three-day regional is taking place at Bear’s Best Las Vegas, hosted by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Hudson stood in a tie 14th through the first round by posting six birdies throughout his round. The junior carded an unblemished front nine with a birdie on the par five, 529-yard second hole and the par five, 599-yard eighth. Hudson gathered steam on the back nine with four birdies in six holes. During the stretch, Hudson birdied both par fives, a par four, and a par three throughout the stretch as the junior completed the back nine three-under-par (33).

Symon Balbin posted two of UNCG’s tournament-leading five eagles as part of his four-under-par (68) first round effort. The senior also carded four birdies on the day. Balbin posted back-to-back birdies on the second and third holes as part of a one-over-par (37). With a five-under-par (31) on the back, Balbin surged with a pair of birdies and a pair of eagles on the side. Balbin eagled both back nine par fives and added a birdie before each eagle. After a birdie on the par four, 340-yard 11th hole, Balbin eagled the par five, 507-yard 12th. After converting on a birdie on the par four, 416-yard 16th hole, Balbin added another eagle on the par five, 537-yard 17th. Balbin finished in a tie for 19th place.

Nick Lyerly stood two shots behind Balbin with a two-under-par (70) scorecard. The graduate student totaled three birdies and one eagle. Unlike his teammates, Lyerly converted eagle on a par four after exiting the hole without using the putter on the 411-yard tenth hole. Lyerly collected birdies on the par four, 398-yard sixth hole and the eighth. As part of a two-under-par (34) back nine effort, Lyerly collected his second par five birdie of the day at the 507-yard 12th hole.

UNCG finished the round in a three-way tie for fifth place with Davidson and Oklahoma State at 12-under-par (276). All five UNCG golfers shot under par for the back nine, helping the Spartans surge from a share of ninth place to a tie for fifth. The Spartans stand four shots behind East Tennessee State in fourth place. Arizona State holds the first round lead at 26-under-par (262).

INSIDE THE SCORECARD
Balbin’s five-under-par effort on par five holes tied for the second-lowest score in the field.
Balbin was also one of four golfers in the field to post a multi-eagle scorecard.
UNCG as a team finished even-par on par three holes, good for a tie for fourth place.
Lamb and Hudson finished par three holes at one-under-par, the fifth-best effort on par threes in the field.
UNCG’s field-leading eagle count stood one ahead of Northwestern in second place.
The Spartans finished the round with 21 birdies and 46 pars.

UP NEXT
The Spartans continue with second round action tomorrow morning, starting the round on the 10th hole at 8:00 a.m. PDT, 11:00 a.m. EST. UNCG will be paired with ETSU and Oklahoma State.

Courtesy of Denise Archetto
Assistant Athletic Director For Strategic Communications
UNC Greensboro