WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – Junior Brent Morgan shot a one-over 71 on a day of challenging conditions at the Kingsmill Resort River Course to lead the St. Bonaventure golf team to a ninth place standing out of 24 teams following day one of competition Sunday in the Kingsmill Intercollegiate.
The Bonnies logged a team score of 298 (+18) for the day, 11 shots off leading Utah Valley's 287. Eastern Michigan (292), Southern Illinois (293), Old Dominion (293) and Loyola (MD) (294) round out the top five in the deep field of competitors for the prestigious event that dates back to 1978.
In a bunched up leaderboard, the Bonnies are just two shots out of a three-way tie for sixth between Xavier, Saint Joseph's and Appalachian State.
Morgan played the par-70, 6,794-yard layout in impressive fashion, landing in a tie for eighth on the individual leaderboard out of 127 players who teed it up Sunday. He collected four birdies on the day, making the turn at one-over before playing the back nine at even par. Only three players finished the day in red figures.
Fellow junior Matt Abendroth posted a score of four-over 74 while freshman Danny Gianniny checked in at five-over 75. Sophomore Zach Chaddock bounced back from a rough opening nine to post even-par 35 on the back nine, carding 78 for the day. Senior Corey Long checked in with a 79.
The Bonnies are seeking a big improvement over their 18th-place finish in last year's Kingsmill Intercollegiate and are well on their way to doing so as their 298 score Sunday was better than any of the three rounds turned in by the squad last year.
As a team, the Bonnies logged 10 birdies on the day, good for sixth in the field.
With 54 holes on deck over three days, the Bonnies resume competition with Monday tee times beginning at 9:30 a.m.
TEAM STANDINGS
1. Utah Valley – 287
2. Eastern Michigan – 292
3. Old Dominion – 293
Southern Illinois – 293
5. Loyola (MD) – 294
6. Xavier – 296
Saint Joseph's – 296
Appalachian State – 296
9. St. Bonaventure – 298
10. Seton Hall – 299
11. Towson – 301
Drexel – 301
George Washington – 301
14. Fort Wayne – 304
Fairleigh Dickinson – 304
17. Air Force – 306
18. Radford – 307
19. William & Mary – 30
20. Longwood – 309
Youngstown State – 309
22. Iona – 311
23. St. Francis (PA) – 313
24. Binghamton – 317
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