CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Led by a top 10 showing from sophomore Christian Elliott, the Penn State men's golf team wrapped up day one of the NCAA Regional Championships in a tie for eighth place from the Finley Golf Course on the campus of North Carolina. The Nittany Lions carded a 292 for a four-over par team finish.
Four PSU golfers are currently sitting among the Top 50.Leading all Lions, Elliott (Port Perry, Ontario) is at three-under in a four-way tie at the No. 9 spot. His eagle on the sixth hole led to back-to-back birdies to put him at four-under par heading into Hole 9. He bogeyed the final hole of the round, a par four.
"We started on the tougher side today and it hurt us," Greg Nye, Penn State head coach said. "We never lost our composure, however, and turned it straight around on our back nine. Wewould liketo play a good one tomorrow and really get in the hunt."
Senior Jens Talbert (Little Rock, Ark.) and junior JD Dornes (Lancaster, Pa.) each hold a share of the No. 43 spot, while senior Xander McDonald-Smith (Rockaway Park, N.Y.) currently sits in 50th place. The trio each produced a birdie during theirrespectiverounds.
Freshman Cole Miller (New Tripoli, Pa.) rounds out the Nittany Lions competing at the regional with a four-over par finish to sit in the No. 59 position.
Penn State returns to action beginning at 8 a.m. Friday in the second round. Miller will tee off at 8 a.m. from Hole 10, followed by McDonald-Smith (8:11), Talbert (8:22), Dornes (8:33) and Elliott (8:44)