By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information

OLD HICKORY, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech men's golf team put together a pair of strong rounds to open play Monday at the Big Blue Intercollegiate hosted by Tennessee State at the President's Reserve Course at Hermitage Golf Club.

The Golden Eagles ripped off rounds of 289 and 290 for a 679 total for the first 36 holes of competition. The purple and gold ranked third in the 11-team field, just six shots back of second-place UT Martin.

Leading the event at the end of the first day of action was another Ohio Valley Conference rival, Murray State with a 687. Detroit Mercy's Scott Sparks topped the individual leaderboard to kick off day one with a 70-67=137.

Right on his heels and pacing the Golden Eagles was Bryce Beeler, finishing the second round in second place among the 63-man field. The junior fired a 3-under 68 over the first 18 holes of the day, ranking first overall following the first round. He answered with a 1-under 70, totaling 138 to sit just a shot back of the top spot at 4-under. 

Next up for the Tech squad was redshirt senior Dabney Dickenson, tying for 14th overall with a 144. The Brentwood, Tenn. native carded back-to-back rounds of 1-over 72, finishing the day at 2-over.

Just a stroke behind his teammate was fellow senior Bracton Womack, who shot a 145 collectively to tie for 17th. The native of McMinnville, Tenn. posted a 76 to open the day, but bounced back in a huge way with a 2-under 69 in the second round on the links. 

Sophomores Sean Anderson and Nick Sutton rounded out the lineup for the Golden Eagles, finishing the day tied for 51st and tied for 59th, respectively. Anderson totaled a 155 behind rounds of 73 and 82 while Sutton put together scores of 80 and 79 for a 159.

The third and final round of the Big Blue Intercollegiate is slated to begin at 8:00 a.m. CT with a shotgun start at President's Reserve. 

Photo by Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information