EMCC's Hunter Harmon sits two shots off first-round lead at NJCAA Region 23 Championship in Laurel

LAUREL – East Mississippi Community College's Hunter Harmon sits in third place individually following Sunday's opening-round, even-par 72 at the NJCAA Region 23 Men's Golf Championship being held at Laurel Country Club.

As a team, head coach Benji Williams' EMCC Lions are in third place (311) behind second-place Meridian (300) and reigning seven-time region champion Mississippi Gulf Coast (291).  Copiah-Lincoln follows close behind in fourth place (312) and host Jones County is fifth (350) heading into Monday's final round.

Harmon, a Vardaman native who prepped at Calhoun Academy, finished the 6,699-yard layout just one stroke behind MACJC stroke average leader Grant Motter of Gulf Coast and only two shots out of the lead currently held by MGCCC's George Kawell.  The Meridian tandem of Austin Terrell and Connor Cavin rounds out the opening-round Top 5 with 2-over par 74s on Sunday.

Harmon, an MACJC second-team all-state selection this season, competed in last year's NJCAA Division II Men's Golf Championship.

EMCC sophomores Steven Eilders, of Ridgeland, and Chase Chitwood are tied for 12^th place with two other golfers after carding 78s.  Freshman Daniel Schroder (83) and Caledonia's Trent Humber (84) rounded out the Lions' first-round scorecard in 23^rd and 24^th place, respectively.

Team and individual results from the NJCAA Region 23 Championship can be accessed via www.golfstat.com