GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum's Brad Hawkins shot a school and South Atlantic Conference record 63 to take the first round lead of the inaugural Pioneer Classic at Nolichucky View Golf Course.

The Pioneers carded a school-record seven-under par 273 and leads by 17 shots over second place Tennessee Wesleyan (290). TC's 273 breaks the previous record of 276 posted at last spring's Tusculum Invitational. The Pioneers' score is also tied for the fifth-lowest team tally in SAC history.

Hawkins finished his record-breaking round with eight birdies and a bogey as he broke the school record of 65 shot by Brent Dyson at the 2002 Billy Joe Patton Intercollegiate. Hawkins shot a four-under par 32 on his opening nine. He followed by birding three of his first four holes on his inward nine to shoot 31 (-5).

Hawkins' tied the SAC record posted by Lenoir-Rhyne's Jack Garrett at the 2010 Tusculum Invitational at Link Hills Country Club.

Tusculum senior Nick Forsberg fired a two-under par 68 and is in second place, five shots behind Hawkins. Junior Taylor Smith posted 69 and is tied for third place, while teammates Chris Hutson and Preston Tucker both carded 73 and are tied for ninth.

Playing as individual competitors, Zac Bombassi posted an even par round of 70 and is in five place, while senior Samuel Davis shot 73 and is tied for ninth. Cameron Dugger shot 82 and is tied for 24th.

Walters State is in third place in the team competition with 294, followed by Brevard B (302) and Lincoln Memorial B (322).

The final round of the Pioneer Classic will be held Sunday at the par-70, 6,085-yard layout.

- TC -

Pioneer Classic
Nolichucky View GC
Greeneville, Tenn.
Dates: 10/31-11/01/2015
1st Round Scores
Par 70, 6085 yards

Fin. Team Total Par
1 Tusculum....................... 273 -7
2 Tennessee Wesleyan............. 290 +10
3 Walters State.................. 294 +14
4 Brevard B...................... 302 +22
5 Lincoln Memorial B............. 322 +42
Tusculum B..................... DNF

Fin. Player Team Total Par
1 Brad Hawkins......... Tusculum....................... 63 -7
2 Nick Forsberg........ Tusculum....................... 68 -2
t 3 Evan Ball............ Tennessee Wesleyan............. 69 -1
t 3 Taylor Smith......... Tusculum....................... 69 -1
5 Zac Bombassi......... Tusculum B..................... 70 E
6 Travis Rodgers....... Tennessee Wesleyan............. 71 +1
t 7 Zac Acuff............ Tennessee Wesleyan............. 72 +2
t 7 Harris Dodson........ Walters State.................. 72 +2
t 9 Samuel Davis......... Tusculum B..................... 73 +3
t 9 Chris Hutson......... Tusculum....................... 73 +3
t 9 Tanner Nelson........ Walters State.................. 73 +3
t 9 Preston Tucker....... Tusculum....................... 73 +3
t 9 Luis Vega............ Brevard B...................... 73 +3
14 Casey Zimmerman...... Walters State.................. 74 +4
t 15 Calum McAndrew....... Brevard B...................... 75 +5
t 15 Florian Peyssonneaux. Brevard B...................... 75 +5
t 15 Jacob Sherlin........ Walters State.................. 75 +5
18 Sam Baker............ Walters State.................. 76 +6
t 19 Brandon Gibson....... Lincoln Memorial B............. 78 +8
t 19 Jacob Prater......... Tennessee Wesleyan............. 78 +8
t 21 Declan Addison....... Brevard B...................... 79 +9
t 21 Tyler Bohanan........ Lincoln Memorial B............. 79 +9
23 Trent Mansfield...... Tennessee Wesleyan............. 81 +11
t 24 Brent Carroll........ Lincoln Memorial B............. 82 +12
t 24 Cameron Dugger....... Tusculum B..................... 82 +12
26 Ethan Harland........ Lincoln Memorial B............. 83 +13
27 Christopher Fry...... Brevard B...................... 84 +14
28 Gavin Burns.......... Lincoln Memorial B............. 85 +15
Heath Ratliff........ Tusculum B..................... WD

Pioneer Classic
Nolichucky View GC
Greeneville, Tenn.
Dates: 10/31-11/01/2015
1st Round Scores
Par 70, 6085 yards (6 teams, 29 players)

Tusculum...................... 273 -7 1st
Brad Hawkins.................. 63 -7 1st
Nick Forsberg................. 68 -2 2nd
Taylor Smith.................. 69 -1 t- 3rd
Chris Hutson.................. 73 +3 t- 9th
Preston Tucker................ 73 +3 t- 9th

Tennessee Wesleyan............ 290 +10 2nd
Evan Ball..................... 69 -1 t- 3rd
Travis Rodgers................ 71 +1 6th
Zac Acuff..................... 72 +2 t- 7th
Jacob Prater.................. 78 +8 t-19th
Trent Mansfield............... 81 +11 23rd

Walters State................. 294 +14 3rd
Harris Dodson................. 72 +2 t- 7th
Tanner Nelson................. 73 +3 t- 9th
Casey Zimmerman............... 74 +4 14th
Jacob Sherlin................. 75 +5 t-15th
Sam Baker..................... 76 +6 18th

Brevard B..................... 302 +22 4th
Luis Vega..................... 73 +3 t- 9th
Calum McAndrew................ 75 +5 t-15th
Florian Peyssonneaux.......... 75 +5 t-15th
Declan Addison................ 79 +9 t-21st
Christopher Fry............... 84 +14 27th

Lincoln Memorial B............ 322 +42 5th
Brandon Gibson................ 78 +8 t-19th
Tyler Bohanan................. 79 +9 t-21st
Brent Carroll................. 82 +12 t-24th
Ethan Harland................. 83 +13 26th
Gavin Burns................... 85 +15 28th

Tusculum B.................... dnc
Zac Bombassi.................. 70 E 5th
Samuel Davis.................. 73 +3 t- 9th
Cameron Dugger................ 82 +12 t-24th
Heath Ratliff................. wd

# Indicates individual player