HARMONY, Fla.—Spurred by four rounds of par or better, Davidson men’s golf took a two-stroke lead following Friday’s first round of the 2015 Atlantic 10 Conference Men’s Golf Championship. The 54-hole tournament is taking place at the 7,106-yard, par 72 Harmony Golf Preserve.
The Wildcats shot a four-under 284 to lead defending champion VCU (286) by two strokes. St. Bonaventure is third at even par with a 288 and Dayton placed fourth on day one with a one-over 289.
George Washington senior Jack Persons and VCU junior Adam Ball are tied for the individual lead with a 66. Ball carded six birdies, including four on the back nine to rally and tie Persons. Persons started the round on fire, with birdies in his first five holes. He also had two birdies on the back nine to lead the field with seven total birdies. Ball, grad student Tonny Aizpun and sophomore PJ Acierno, both from La Salle, each recorded six birdies.
Davidson was led by Spencer Papciak, who shot a 69, tying the freshman for fourth overall. Senior Todd Eckstein tied for 10th for the Wildcats with a 71 and junior David Sargent and senior Ralph Blasey each shot an even par 72 to tie for 12th overall and complete Davidson’s scoring.
Rhode Island and GW are tied for fifth with a 292 and Richmond and Saint Joseph’s are tied for seventh at 294. George Mason, La Salle and Fordham are eighth, ninth and 10th respectively following Friday’s round.
Aizpun is in third place, shooting a 68 and junior David Germann shot a 69 to equal Papciak and tie for fourth as UR’s top finisher.
Papciak, GW freshman Zack Bailey and junior Pat Milkovich had the only three eagles of the day. Papciak scored a two on the par four No. 13, and Milkovich tallied a three on the par five No. 16. Bailey had the first eagle of the day, a three on No. 8, a par five hole.
Saturday’s second round will begin at 7:30 am on hole one. The championship concludes Sunday with the winner advancing to NCAA Regionals.