Golden Eagles hit par on first day of Golfweek NGI
Etherton leads Tech men with a 1-under, Maxwell and Broyles break even
By Thomas Corhern, TTU Athletics Media Relations
MARICOPA, Ariz. – Tennessee Tech finished the first day of the Golfweek National Golf Invitational with a strong showing, posting an even par through the first 18 holes Friday.
The Golden Eagles continue play on Saturday morning with Matthew Shull teeing off at 6:45 AM local time, while the rest of the team goes off between 7:25 AM and 7:57 AM local.
Nick Etherton put the top score together for Tech with a 1-under 71 for a tie for 20th overall, while Haden Maxwell and Alex Broyles each hit par at 72 to tie for 28th place after the first day. Cooper Gettler was one-over with a 73, while Bryson White was 8-over. Shull, playing as an individual, carded a 77.
Etherton birdied No. 7, then eagled No. 14, even with bogies on No. 6 and No. 11 to finish on the underside of par. Maxwell birdied Nos. 3, 7, 14 and 18, but ended even with four bogies. Broyles was under par on Nos. 2, 7, 9 and 14 with four bogies to finish all square.
Wyoming's Brody Leid and Grand Canyon's Gavin O'Neill led the first day with identical 8-under scores with Leid hitting a three on the par-5 No. 16 and O'Neil collecting nine birdies on the day with both golfers going over par with four strokes each on the par-3 No. 17.
Rhode Island's Tyler Bruneau (7-under), Missouri's Brock Snyder (6-under), Mercer's Henry Robards, Rhode Island's Josiah Tong and Nevada's Monte Chumchaivate and Aaron Leach (all 5-under) round out the top five individual scores so far.
Missouri holds the team lead with an 18-under, followed by Grand Canyon (17-under), Rhode Island (14-under), Nevada (14-under) and Mercer (8-under) all in the top five spots.
The Golfweek National Golf Invitational continues through Sunday.
Photo | Amanada Smith, TTU Golf
