WONDER BOYS SHOOT 306 ON FIRST DAY OF NCAA DIVISION II MEN'S GOLF SOUTH/SOUTHEAST SUPER REGIONAL

        MUSCLE SHOALS, Alabama – The Arkansas Tech Men’s Golf team opened up play here Monday in the 2009 NCAA Division II South/Southeast Super Regional at the Robert Trent Jones of the Shoals Fighting Joe Course by shooting a 306 to sit in 19th place out of 20 teams after the first round.

Tech, who is making its sixth-ever NCAA D-II Regional appearance and first since 2004, opened by day by shooting a 146 on the front nine to be tied for eighth place heading into the back nine, but the Wonder Boys five golfers combined to shoot a 202 (+22 over par) on the back nine to drop to 19th place. Tech finished the first round shooting an 18-over par 306.

The top five teams (regardless of region) and the top two individuals not from one of the five advancing teams will qualify for the 2009 NCAA D-II National Championships, which are being held at the Semiahmoo Resort in Bellingham, Wash., on May 19-22.

Leading the way for Tech in Monday’s first round was senior Jarred Carlyle (Nashville, Ark.). Carlyle, who is just the second player in Gulf South Conference history to earn First-Team All-GSC honors for four consecutive seasons, fired a three-over par 75 to finish in a tie for 56th place. Carlyle carded an even-par 36 on the front nine, but struggled on the back nine as he fired a three-over par 39, including shooting a triple bogey on the par-five No. 17. The 75 snapped Carlyle’s five-round streak of shooting par or better golf.

North Alabama, the Super Region’s host team and the 2009 GSC Champion, leads the lead after the first round after firing a seven-under par 281. Lynn University is sitting in second place after shooting a three-under par 285, while Barry [FL] fired an even-par 288 to finish the first day in third place. Those three squads were the only teams to shoot par or better on the day.

In addition to UNA and Tech, other GSC teams competing in this year’s South/Southeast Super Regional are West Florida and Valdosta State. West Florida, the defending NCAA D-II National Champions, shot a one-over par 289 to finish in fourth place after the first day, while VSU carded a four-over par 292 to finish in a tie for seventh place heading into Tuesday’s second round.

          Along with Carlyle, other Tech scores on Monday were junior Jonathon Spikes (Danville, Ark.) firing a four-over par 76 to finish in a tie for 64th place, while senior Taylor Wallner (Fayetteville, Ark.) shot a five-over par 77 to finish in a tie for 71st place and junior Drew Richards (Prescott, Ark.) fired a six-over par 78 to finish in a tie for 78th place. The final Tech golfer was senior B.J. Hawkins (Winnsboro, Texas), who shot a nine-over par 81 to finish tied for 96th place. It was Hawkins’ second straight round of shooting 81 at the Fighting Joe Course as he carded an 81 in the second round of the UNA Spring Invitational on March 30.

          The tournament will continue on Tuesday as Tech’s five golfers will tee off on the No. 10 tee beginning at 8:20 a.m. The tournament will conclude on Wednesday with another 18 holes.

           NCAA D-II South/Southeast Super Regional Day One Results

          -- Tech Athletics --