Golden Eagle men's golf team right in the middle of the pack

Fox, Painter tied for team lead

SUNSET BEACH, N.C. -- Right smack in the middle of the pack. That's where the Tennessee Tech men's golf team finds itself Friday following the first of three rounds at the Sea Trail Intercollegiate tournament.

It's the opening tournament of the year for the Golden Eagles, and the first under new head coach Craig King.

Murray State, the only other Ohio Valley Conference team in the 18-team field, is in the top spot in a hotly contested race, with Tech just seven strokes of the pace in a tie for ninth. MSU shot a 295, and holds a one-shot lead over Stetson (296) and is two strokes ahead of both Wofford and USC Upstate.

Tech is tied with Belmont Abbey at 302, one behind Appalachian State in eighth place, two back of BEthune-Cookman and three behind fifth place-holders UNC Pembroke and Elon.

In other words, it's a fight to the finish. The teams will play 18 holes Saturday and a final round Sunday.

Seniors John Fox and Greyson Painter are tied for the team lead at 73, putting them in a logjam of seven players toed for 13th place. Junior Wesley Korth is next, tied for 35th place at 76, followed by Josh Simer (80) and Jake Heatherly (82).

Jared Dunn is also in the field, competing individually, and is tied for 42nd place after carding a 77 Friday.