RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico - Paced by freshman Alex Merriman's 6-over-par 78, the Anderson University men's golf team is in seventh place following Monday's first round of the UIS Island Getaway, hosted by Illinois-Springfield at the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Country Club.
The par-72 River Course layout saw North Alabama (289) leading the event by eight strokes over Central Missouri (297). Missouri-St. Louis is holding the third spot after posting a first-round 305, while the host Prairie Stars are fourth with a 310. William Jewell College (319) is nine strokes further back in fifth, with Jackson State in sixth place after notching a 321. The Trojans (323) are 14 shots in front of eighth-place Manchester College.
A pair of North Alabama golfers, Michael Peter and Chris Atchley, along with Central Missouri's Teddy Jones, are atop the leaderboard after firing 1-under-par 71s on the day. Three more golfers are within two shots of the lead - Central Missouri's Sam Migdal (72), North Alabama's Forrest Knight (72)and Missouri-St. Louis' Matt Barry (73)
Merriman's lowest opening round of the season has the newcomer sharing 17th place, while fellow freshman Forrest Fowler fired a 9-over-par 81 and sits in a seven-way tie for 28th. Junior David Wachter and sophomore Rob Warren each carded a first-round 82 and are tied for 35th. Sophomore Payton Whitlock posted an 86 and is alone in 43rd entering Tuesday's final round.
