GREENSBORO, N.C. (Blugolds.com) - The UW-Eau Claire men's golf team is tied for 13th place out of 40 teams after day one of the 2011 NCAA Championship at Grandover Resort & Conference Center.
Eau Claire started the day strong and finished well, shooting 299 (+11). The Blugolds are just 13 strokes behind the leaders, Oglethorpe University (Ga.) and Saint John's University (Minn.), who both shot 286 (-2). Emory University (Ga.) is in third with 289 strokes.
Leading the Blugolds were Jimmy Hutchings (Jr.-Hudson, Wis.) and Tim McCormick (So.-Madison, Wis./Memorial), who both finished with 72 strokes to tie for 21st in the 205-golfer field.
Jamie Krula (Jr.-Chippewa Falls, Wis./Chi-Hi) had the third-best score for the Blugolds with 76 strokes (tied for 77th) while Loren Churness (Sr.-Durand, Wis.) had 79 (tied for 124th) and Ben Brooks (Fr.-Beaver Dam, Wis.) finished with 80 (tied for 142nd).
Oglethorpe's Craig Stevenson led the field with 66 strokes (-6). A total of 20 individuals shot under par today.
The four-day tournament will continue tomorrow at 7 a.m. (Eastern). Blugolds will begin teeing off at 11:10 a.m. (Eastern).
