STOCKTON, Calif. — Senior Jonathan Hardee and freshman Davis Shore are among the top-10 individuals after Monday’s opening round of the 2018 NCAA Stockton Regional, which is being played on the par 72, 7,239-yard Reserve at Spanos Park layout. The Crimson Tide ended the round in third overall with a score of 6-under par 282 — one of only five teams that shot below par.
It was a tale of two different rounds within Alabama’s opening 18 holes. The Tide combined to shoot +7 on the front nine, collecting 11 bogeys and just four birdies. However, the five UA players caught fire after making the turn, carding a total of -10 on the back nine, with 16 birdies compared to only six bogeys.
“Getting off to a solid start in the first round at an NCAA Regional is pivotal, and at the end of the day, that’s exactly what we did,” Alabama head coach Jay Seawell said. “I thought we did a great job on the back nine and made a lot of birdies. I’m proud of how we responded after a somewhat slow start and it turned the momentum around in our favor. There’s not a lot of movement when you get to regionals, so we just need to do this same thing each day we are out here.”
Hardee’s opening round of 4-under par 68 puts him in a fifth-place tie entering Tuesday’s second round.
Shore finished the day at 3-under 69 and is in a tie for eighth overall after 18 holes.
Junior Davis Riley ended the day with an even par 72. He is in a tie for 27th, one shot ahead of freshman Wilson Furr, who finished with a 1-over 73.
Senior Lee Hodges, who entered the regional ranked No. 12 in the nation, finished in a tie for 52nd at 3-over par 75.
Unranked Iowa State is the surprise leader after the opening round, carding a team total of 10-under par 278 to hold a three-stroke lead over No. 43 Kansas (281). TCU, ranked No. 31 in the nation, trails the Tide by one stroke and is in fourth with a 5-under 283, while No. 18 Stanford rounds out the top five with a 285.
The top five teams and the top individual finisher not on an advancing team will move on to the NCAA Men’s Golf National Championship, which will be played at Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Okla., on May 25-30.
