ALPHARETTA, Ga. –The fourth-ranked Alabama men’s golf team carded a 2-under par 286 and is in a four-way tie for fifth place after the opening round of play at the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate Invitational (GCOGC).
Alabama, one of 11 ranked teams competing at this weekend’s prestigious tournament, is tied with second-ranked Duke, No. 9 Texas A&M and No. 32 Florida State after Monday’s opening 18 holes.
The Crimson Tide was led by freshman Frankie Capan III and sophomore Davis Shore, who both carded rounds of 2-under par 70 to end the day tied for 15th overall. The duo combined for nine total birdies compared to only four holes of bogey or worse.
Capan, who made his return to the lineup after sitting out the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate with an injury, ended Friday’s first round with four birdies and 13 pars on the day. His only blemish occurred on the 374-yard par 4 12th hole in which he recorded a double bogey.
Meanwhile, Shore was at even par after 16 holes played, but converted back-to-back birdies No. 17 and No. 18 to result in his first round total. He finished the day with a team-high five birdies to go with three bogeys during the opening round.
Freshman Prescott Butler is in a tie for 30th after carding an even par 72 on the 7,017-yard Golf Club of Georgia layout. Senior Davis Riley, who began his day with bogeys on five of his first seven holes, responded by shooting 4-under over his final 11 holes to finish at 2-over 74. He will be in a tie for 43rd heading in to the second round. Sophomore Wilson Furr rounds out the Crimson Tide golfers in a tie for 48th with a 3-over 75.
Tournament host and third-ranked Georgia Tech leads the 14-team field after carding a blistering 18-under par 270. The Yellow Jackets are six strokes ahead of No. 10 Wake Forest (276) and No. 15 Clemson (276), who are tied for second. Tenth-ranked USC (278) is in fourth, eight strokes ahead of the four teams tied for fifth, including Alabama.
Alabama will begin the second round of play on Saturday at 8:25 a.m. CT on Hole No. 1 and will be grouped with USC and Florida State. Live scoring can be followed at www.golfstat.com.
