EMCC stands four strokes out of first with third-place effort in first round at Diamondhead Pine
The East Mississippi Community College men’s golf team stands four strokes out of first place with a third-place team showing during Sunday’s opening round of the MACJC’s first golf tournament of the 2013 spring season being held at the Diamondhead Pine golf course.
DIAMONDHEAD – The East Mississippi Community College men's golf team stands four strokes out of first place with a third-place team showing during Sunday's opening round of the MACJC's first golf tournament of the 2013 spring season being held at the Diamondhead Pine golf course.
Head coach Dale Peay's EMCC Lions carded a first-round 318 to trail host Mississippi Gulf Coast by a pair of strokes. With an opening-round 314, Copiah-Lincoln will take a 2-stroke lead into Monday's final round. East Central stands fourth with a 319.
Individually for the Lions, sophomore Caleb Westmoreland finished Day 1 in a three-way tie for second place after firing a 4-over-par 76. A transfer from Delta State University following a stellar prep career at Columbus' Heritage Academy, Westmoreland is currently tied with Co-Lin's Alex Clark and Jack Byrd of Northwest Mississippi.
Brad Thornton, of the five-time reigning NJCAA Region 23 Champion MGCCC Bulldogs, tops the individual leader board with a 2-over-par 74.
Fellow EMCC sophomore transfer Matt Belk, of Shannon High School by way of Itawamba Community College, shot a 7-over-par 79 to stand in sole possession of eighth place. Returning sophomores Nick Davis and Miles Respess rounded out the Lions' Sunday scorecard with rounds of 81 and 82 to stand in 14th- and 16th-place ties, respectively.
EMCC freshman Chase Smith struggled with a 98, while fellow freshman John Pittman, competing as an individual, carded an opening-round 93.
Final-round action begins at 8:30 a.m. Monday at the Diamondhead Pine golf course.