HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Harding’s Sam Tandy and Leo Maciejek shot the lowest two scores of Sunday’s Great American Conference Men’s Golf Championships first round to position the Bisons in first place, seven shots ahead of defending champion Henderson State, after posting an 8-under par team score.
FIRST ROUND LEADERBOARDS || SECOND ROUND PAIRINGS
Tandy, a First-Team All-GAC performer, made four of his six birdies on the front nine as part of a 4-under par 68. Maciejek played his opening 10 holes in 4-under before settling in with a 3-under 69. Jake Croshaw opened 2-over through his first four holes, but made five birdies in his round to shoot a 1-under 71 and tie for fourth place. Manuel Cue Vargas, the GAC Freshman of the Year, paired two birdies with two bogeys for an even-par round that left him in a tie for sixth. Caleb Nichols notched four birdies and shot 1-over 73 to share 10th.
The Reddies combined for a 1-under score. Ethan Wilkins birdied three consecutive holes on the front nine as part of his 2-under round. He ended the day in third place. Miller Harris, an All-GAC First-Team selection, made three birdies on the back nine in a 1-under round. Alex Hadden registered an even par round and Cooper Williams posted 2-over 74. Nathan Cossement, the GAC Player of the Year shot 3-over.
Southern Arkansas’ Caleb Miller, a member of the All-GAC First Team, and Luke Cote led the Mulerider into third place with matching 1-over 73s. Only four shots separated fourth place Southwestern Oklahoma State from Southeastern Oklahoma State and Northwestern Oklahoma State, who tied for seventh. The Bulldogs’ Lukas Hendricks netted four birdies and shot even par.
Arkansas Tech finished one shot back of SWOSU with Southern Nazarene one additional stroke behind the Bulldogs. Southeastern’s Dalton McGinnis joined Vargas, Hadden and Hendricks in a tie for sixth at even par. Arkansas-Monticello rounded out the team scoring.
Monday's Second round play begins at 8 a.m.