Houston Ends First Round in Fifth Place at the Conference USA Men's Golf Championship
April 29, 2007
Texarkana, Texas- - The University of Houston men's golf team ended Sunday's first round of the Conference USA Championship in fifth place after firing a seven-over-par 295 at the Texarkana Country Club. Jordan Irwin posted Houston's best score of the day with a one-under-par 71 after he fired three birdies and 13 pars on the par 72, 6,935-yard course. Ricky Romano and Pablo Acuna are among six golfers tied for 22nd place after the both shot two-over-par in the opening round. Steven Frazier ended the first day at four over and Jackie Lindsey had a score of five-over-par. Tulsa's Ryan Henry is the first-round leader with a score of four-under-par 68. UAB senior Garrett Osborn and Memphis sophomore Brad Benjamin are tied for second place after carding a three-under-par 69. Addison Awe of Rice posted the fourth-best score with two-under-par 70, while Irwin is in a six-way tie with Tulsa's Nocolas Gerger, UTEP's Ian Rochester, Josh Taylor of UTEP, Heon Young Lee and SMU's Frank Wrenn, IV for fifth place at 71. Tulsa was the first round leader after the Golden Hurricane ended the first day with a three-under-par team score of 285. Memphis shot an even-par 288 to end the first round in second place, while UTEP is in third place at three-over-par. Southern Miss stands in fourth place with a five-over par 293, while Houston is two shots back of the Golden Eagles in fifth place. The Cougars lead both UCF and Rice by one shot, and UAB is in eighth place with a team score of 10 over par. Marshall finished the first day in ninth place with a score of +12, 300 and defending champion SMU is in 10th place after shooting 301. East Carolina rounds out the field in 11th place after shooting 14-over-par.
SMU was without top player Colt Knost in the first round while he played as an amateur in the final round of the EDS Byron Nelson Championship. Knost was the first amateur to make the cut of the PGA event since 1993. Monday's second round and Tuesday's final round tee off at 8 a.m., with teams going off both the front and back nine. The winner of the C-USA Championship receives an automatic berth to the NCAA Regional Championships. Live scoring during the final two rounds is available on www.conferenceusa.com. Conference USA Men's Golf Championship 1. Tulsa - 285 (-3); 2. Memphis - 288 (E); 3. UTEP - 291 (+3); 4. Southern Miss - 293 (+5); 5. Houston - 295 (+7); 6T. Rice - 296 (+8); 6T UCF - 296 (+8); 8. UAB - 298 (+10); 9. Marshall - 300 (+12); 10. SMU - 301 (+13); 11. East Carolina - 302 (+14) |
