EL PASO, Texas - Despite an hour long delay and only playing one round due to weather, the LCU men's golf team find themselves in fourth place after the first day of the RJGA South Central Shootout.
As a team, the Chaps shot a 24-over 312 in the opening round, battling rain early and 20 mph breezes all day long at the Butterfield Trail Golf Club. LCU was successful on par fours, as their 24-over, 4.48 average score was tied for fourth best in the field. The Chaps recorded the fifth most pars of any team with 47, and the sixth most birdies with nine.
The Chaps sit above host and no. 14 Western New Mexico by two strokes, and ahead of no. 35 St. Mary's and no. 41 Texas A&M-International by six and seven strokes, respectively.
Braxton Floyd and
Tiaan de Jager are both tied for 12th with four-over 76s in the first round. de Jager excelled on par threes, as he finished the day at a perfect even-par on the shortest holes on the course.
Floyd, meanwhile, was perfect on par fives, finishing even-par on the longest holes at Butterfield Trail. He was also perfect on par fours, shooting even-par on the intermediate holes on the course. Floyd led the Chaps with four birdies in the first round, including back-to-back birdies on the 14th and 15th holes. Right behind Floyd was de Jager with three birdies in the opening round.
Floyd and de Jager sit ahead of five nationally ranked golfers, including three in the Golfstat top-50.
Garrett Auger came one stroke away from tying his season best round, finishing the day with a five-over 77 and tied for 21st. Auger paced the Chaps with 13 pars in the first round, the seventh-most of the entire field. He shot a three-over, 4.30 average score on par fours, tied for 10th best in the field.
Hayden Bowman sits tied for 54th with an 11-over 83 in the first round. Bowman, along with Floyd and de Jager, all picked up birdies on the 14th hole.
Clement Catteau rounds out the Chaps at 76th with a 19-over 91.
Texas Permian Basin sits in first place by three strokes over DBU with a 14-over 302 in the first round. Jack Wilson of DBU sits in first individually after shooting a two-under 70 in the opening round.
The Chaps and the rest of the field will hope for better weather tomorrow, as the teams are scheduled to play 36 holes tomorrow, Oct. 25, beginning at 8:30 AM.
