GREENEVILLE, Tenn. - The Anderson University men's golf team sits in fourth place following Saturday's first round of the 19th annual Tusculum Invitational, hosted at the par 71, 6,733-yard Link Hills Country Club.

Anderson sophomore Sean Shelton (71) led the Trojan effort and is tied for sixth, while junior John Moore (72) and freshman CJ Messana (72) are one stroke further back and are tied for 14th. Senior Chase Epting (76) is tied for 43rd and sophomore Arran Setro (80) is tied for 76th.

Tusculum College and Wingate University each posted a two-under par team score of 282 as the Pioneers and Bulldogs share the opening-day lead.

Walters State finished third with 290, while Anderson placed fourth with 291. King was fifth with 292, followed by USC Lancaster (296), Catawba (297), Tri-County Tech (297), Tennessee Wesleyan (298), Lincoln Memorial (299), Tiffin (301), Limestone (304), Marian (304), Bluefield State (309), Spartanburg Methodist (310), Brevard (311), Virginia Intermont (321) and Mars Hill (329).

The Bulldogs finished with the first 282 of the day, led by Brian Denton as he carded a four-under 67 and leads by one shot over USC Lancaster's Matthew Moore (68) and two shots ahead of Tusculum's Justin Harvey (69). Catawba's Matt Hardman and Walters State's Zach Briggs are tied for fourth place with 70 (-1) to round out the top five, individually.

Twenty-two (22) players are within five shots of Denton and the lead, including an eight-way tie for sixth place at 71.

The final wave on Sunday will pit Tusculum, Wingate and Walters State in the last five groups as the three schools have combined to win this event seven times. Tusculum is the defending champion having won its spring tournament five times (1995, 1997, 1998, 2006, 2011). Wingate won the 2001 title, while Walters State was the inaugural champion of the event in 1994.

Tusculum has recorded one tournament title this season capturing the Anderson Invitational in September.

The final round is scheduled to being at 8 a.m. on Sunday morning from Link Hills Country Club.

4 Anderson Univ. 291
T 6 Sean Shelton 36- 35 71
T 14 John Moore 37- 35 72
T 14 C.J. Messana 34- 38 72
T 43 Chase Epting 36- 40 76
T 76 Arran Setro 43- 37 80

Fin. School Scores
1 Tusculum College 282 -2
Wingate University 282 -2
3 Walters State JC 290 +6
4 Anderson Univ. (SC) 291 +7
5 King College 292 +8
6 USC Lancaster CC 296 +12
7 Tri- County CC 297 +13
Catawba College 297 +13
9 Tennessee Wesleyan 298 +14
10 Lincoln Memorial U. 299 +15
11 Tiffin University 301 +17
12 Limestone College 304 +20
Marian University IN 304 +20
14 Bluefield St. Coll. 309 +25
15 SpartanburgMthdst CC 310 +26
16 Brevard College 311 +27
17 Virginia Intermont 321 +37
18 Mars Hill College 329 +45