FIRST ROUND RESULTS || HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Henderson State recorded four rounds of 74 or lower to take a three-shot lead after the first round of the 2014 Great American Conference Men’s Golf Championships on Sunday from Hot Springs Country Club.
All four of the Reddies' scoring golfers finished inside the top 10 of the individual leaderboard. Gil Debusscher shot an even-par 72 followed by a 1-over-par round from Joseph Hausberger and 2-over rounds by Matt Jennings - the 2012 individual champion - and Brice Howard. The Reddies recorded a round-leading 16 birdies. Jennings, Howard and Wess Webb each collected four birdies throughout the round.
Arkansas Tech, the defending GAC Tournament champion, finished Sunday three shots out of the lead. Austin Smith carded 1-under 71 and Rowdy Garrett turned in a 1-over 73 to lead the Wonder Boys, who came into the tournament second in the Central Region rankings. Defending medalist Brian Belz shot a 4-over 76 to share 18th place.
Southern Nazarene's Michael Hearne, the Central Region's highest ranked golfer, fired the low round of the day - a 3-under-par 69 - to lead the individual race by two shots. Hearne, owner of five tournament titles this season, shot just the seventh round in the 60's in the three-year history of the GAC Men's Golf Championship. He collected five birdies in his opening round. His teammate, John Abrahamsson, and Harding's Alex Williamson joined Debusscher in carding even-par rounds of 72.
Williamson guided the Bisons to a team score of 12-over 300. Lucas Collins shot a 1-over 73 to share sixth place in the individual competition. The Bisons entered the tournament in 10th position in the Central Region rankings.
Southwestern Oklahoma State, ninth in the Central Region, and Southeastern Oklahoma State, seventh in the Central Region, shot matching rounds of 303. Arkansas-Monticello and Southern Arkansas stand sixth and seventh, respectively, in the standings, followed by East Central and Ouachita Baptist.
Second-round play begins Monday at 7:30 a.m. with OBU and Northwestern Oklahoma State paired for the second-straight day.