SUNSET BEACH, N.C. – Behind a season-best 2-under-par 70 from sophomore Grayson Bell, the Anderson University men's golf team is tied for eighth place following first-round action at the Myrtle Beach Intercollegiate, hosted by Lincoln Memorial and Lenoir-Rhyne at the 7,020-yard, par 72 Panther's Run Course at Ocean Ridge Plantation at Ocean Ridge Plantation.
Duke (B) holds a comfortable 12-shot lead over the 16-team field after posting a 275 in the opening round. North Greenville is 12 strokes further back after a 287, with Belmont Abbey (288) in third. Fellow South Atlantic Conference- member and co-host Lenoir-Rhyne is fourth following a first-round 290, with the co-host Railsplitters (291) holding the fifth slot. Pfeiffer (293) is sixth, while Coker holds the seventh spot following a 294. Catawba and AU share the eighth spot after an opening-round 296.
Barton (298) is in the 10th slot, with Walters State holding the 11th spot after a 300. Brevard (305), Emmanuel (307), Washburn (309), Cape Fear (317) and Chowan (318) rounded out the field.
Bell is in a five-way tie for fourth place, just three shots off the pace set by Belmont Abbey's Nick Stafford and the Duke duo of Adam Wood and Alexander Matlari.
AU's Weston Bell shares 24th place after carding a 2-over-par 74, while junior Forrest Fowler posted an opening-round 4-over-par 76 and shares the 49th spot with teammates David Monroe and Jake Miller.
The final round is set for Tuesday.
RESULTS
