GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum College men's golf team posted a three-under par team score of 281 to take the first round lead at the 23rd annual Tusculum Invitational, which is being held at the par-71, 6,763-yard Link Hills Country Club.

Tusculum's Nick Forsberg and Chris Hutson both carded 68 (-3) and are tied for second place individual, one shot behind day one leader Matthew Terry of Spartanburg Methodist who tallied a 67 (-4). Terry's 67 was one shot off a tournament first round record of 66 carded by Tusculum's Chris Wynne in 2006.

The Pioneers, the defending champions of the event, have a six-shot lead over second place Tennessee Wesleyan (287) and 11 shots better than Spartanburg Methodist (292). Northwestern Ohio is fourth with 294, followed by Anderson (295), Walters State (301), Marian (304), Cape Fear (304), Lincoln Memorial B (309), Bluefield State (312), Northwestern Ohio B (314), Tennessee Wesleyan B (316), Northwestern Ohio C (325) and UVa-Wise (329).

Tusculum's Taylor Smith is tied for sixth place after posting a 73, while Brad Hawkins and Preston Tucker each fired 73 and are tied for 11th.

Playing as individual competitors, Tusculum's Cameron Dugger posted an 81 and is 55th, while Heath Ratliff and Samuel Davis both fired 84 and are tied for 64th place.

The final round of the two-day, 36-hole tournament will be held on Sunday at Link Hills with tee times starting at 9 a.m. The Pioneers are looking to win their home spring event for an eighth time overall and fourth time in the last six years.

- TC -

Tusculum Invitational
Link Hills CC
Greeneville, Tenn.
Dates: 03/05-06/2016
1st Round Scores
Par 71, 6763 yards

Fin. Team Total Par
1 Tusculum....................... 281 -3
2 Tennessee Wesleyan............. 287 +3
3 Spartanburg Methodist.......... 292 +8
4 Northwestern Ohio.............. 294 +10
5 Anderson....................... 295 +11
6 Walters State.................. 301 +17
t 7 Cape Fear...................... 304 +20
t 7 Marian (Ind.).................. 304 +20
9 Lincoln Memorial "B"........... 309 +25
10 Bluefield State................ 312 +28
11 Northwestern Ohio "B".......... 314 +30
12 Tennessee Wesleyan "B"......... 316 +32
13 Northwestern Ohio "C".......... 325 +41
14 Virginia-Wise.................. 329 +45

Fin. Player Team Total Par
1 Matthew Terry........ Spartanburg Methodist.......... 67 -4
t 2 Nick Forsberg........ Tusculum....................... 68 -3
t 2 Chris Hutson......... Tusculum....................... 68 -3
t 4 Evan Ball............ Tennessee Wesleyan............. 70 -1
t 4 Travis Rodgers....... Tennessee Wesleyan............. 70 -1
t 6 Nicky Beecroft....... Cape Fear...................... 72 +1
t 6 Philip Fransson...... Northwestern Ohio.............. 72 +1
t 6 Cole Jeffreys........ Anderson....................... 72 +1
t 6 Taylor Smith......... Tusculum....................... 72 +1
t 6 David Wachter........ Anderson....................... 72 +1
t 11 Oliver Cowl.......... Tennessee Wesleyan............. 73 +2
t 11 Brad Hawkins......... Tusculum....................... 73 +2
t 11 Preston Tucker....... Tusculum....................... 73 +2
t 14 Zac Acuff............ Tennessee Wesleyan............. 74 +3
t 14 Chase Brown.......... Cape Fear...................... 74 +3
t 14 Cory Cahalan......... Marian (Ind.).................. 74 +3
t 14 Joshua Chalfant...... Walters State.................. 74 +3
t 14 Forrest Fowler....... Anderson....................... 74 +3
t 14 Brandon Hill......... Spartanburg Methodist.......... 74 +3
t 14 Kaleb Kuhn........... Northwestern Ohio.............. 74 +3
t 14 JT Lester............ Bluefield State................ 74 +3
t 14 Alex McFadyen........ Cape Fear...................... 74 +3
t 14 Lewis Scott.......... Northwestern Ohio.............. 74 +3
t 14 Sebastian Sundell.... Northwestern Ohio.............. 74 +3
t 14 A. Tamayo-Bautista... Northwestern Ohio "B".......... 74 +3
t 26 Ian Clement.......... Northwestern Ohio "B".......... 75 +4
t 26 Vince Drahman........ Marian (Ind.).................. 75 +4
t 26 Dylan Gessinger...... Marian (Ind.).................. 75 +4
t 26 Zach Herold.......... Spartanburg Methodist.......... 75 +4
t 26 Richard Hoskins...... Lincoln Memorial "B"........... 75 +4
t 26 Cody Housley......... Tennessee Wesleyan............. 75 +4
t 26 Tanner Nelson........ Walters State.................. 75 +4
t 26 Garrett Tucker....... Lincoln Memorial "B"........... 75 +4
t 34 Sam Baker............ Walters State.................. 76 +5
t 34 Ivar Blohm........... Northwestern Ohio "C".......... 76 +5
t 34 Gavin Burns.......... Lincoln Memorial "B"........... 76 +5
t 34 Kirk Collins......... Bluefield State................ 76 +5
t 34 Harris Dodson........ Walters State.................. 76 +5
t 34 Brady Trout.......... Spartanburg Methodist.......... 76 +5
t 40 Tyler Reynolds....... Tennessee Wesleyan "B"......... 77 +6
t 40 Payton Whitlock...... Anderson....................... 77 +6
t 40 Casey Zimmerman...... Walters State.................. 77 +6
t 43 Alejandro Aguilar.... Northwestern Ohio "C".......... 78 +7
t 43 Peyton Booker........ Walters State.................. 78 +7
t 43 Cody Large........... Virginia-Wise.................. 78 +7
t 43 Drew Mays............ Tennessee Wesleyan "B"......... 78 +7
t 47 Ethan Harlond........ Lincoln Memorial "B"........... 79 +8
t 47 Blake Hash........... Bluefield State................ 79 +8
t 47 Jacob Neal........... Cape Fear...................... 79 +8
t 50 Ben Brackett......... Tennessee Wesleyan "B"......... 80 +9
t 50 Brent Carroll........ Lincoln Memorial "B"........... 80 +9
t 50 Bryce Miley.......... Spartanburg Methodist.......... 80 +9
t 50 Jacob Smith.......... Virginia-Wise.................. 80 +9
t 50 Michael Walters...... Marian (Ind.).................. 80 +9
t 55 Josh Apple........... Northwestern Ohio "B".......... 81 +10
t 55 Cameron Dugger....... Tusculum....................... 81 +10
t 55 Ryan Kincaid......... Anderson....................... 81 +10
t 55 Trent Mansfield...... Tennessee Wesleyan "B"......... 81 +10
t 59 Lucas Holcomb........ Virginia-Wise.................. 82 +11
t 59 Travis Sterrett...... Marian (Ind.).................. 82 +11
t 61 Sam Corns............ Northwestern Ohio "C".......... 83 +12
t 61 Garrett Metz......... Lincoln Memorial "B"........... 83 +12
t 61 Karson Terry......... Bluefield State................ 83 +12
t 64 Joseph Couch......... Northwestern Ohio "B".......... 84 +13
t 64 Samuel Davis......... Tusculum....................... 84 +13
t 64 Anthony Gammon....... Cape Fear...................... 84 +13
t 64 J.J. McPherson....... Bluefield State................ 84 +13
t 64 Heath Ratliff........ Tusculum....................... 84 +13
t 64 Jamie Reid........... Lincoln Memorial "B"........... 84 +13
t 64 Sam Swope............ Cape Fear...................... 84 +13
71 Hunter Hensley....... Tennessee Wesleyan "B"......... 85 +14
72 Kyle Karhoff......... Northwestern Ohio.............. 87 +16
t 73 Wesley Markward...... Northwestern Ohio "C".......... 88 +17
t 73 JC Motes............. Northwestern Ohio "C".......... 88 +17
t 75 Tyler Bohanan........ Lincoln Memorial "B"........... 89 +18
t 75 Tyler Robinette...... Virginia-Wise.................. 89 +18
77 Brian Schatzer....... Northwestern Ohio "B".......... 91 +20

Tusculum...................... 281 -3 1st
Nick Forsberg................. 68 -3 t- 2nd
Chris Hutson.................. 68 -3 t- 2nd
Taylor Smith.................. 72 +1 t- 6th
Brad Hawkins.................. 73 +2 t-11th
Preston Tucker................ 73 +2 t-11th
Cameron Dugger#............... 81 +10 t-55th
Samuel Davis#................. 84 +13 t-64th
Heath Ratliff#................ 84 +13 t-64th

Tennessee Wesleyan............ 287 +3 2nd
Evan Ball..................... 70 -1 t- 4th
Travis Rodgers................ 70 -1 t- 4th
Oliver Cowl................... 73 +2 t-11th
Zac Acuff..................... 74 +3 t-14th
Cody Housley.................. 75 +4 t-26th

Spartanburg Methodist......... 292 +8 3rd
Matthew Terry................. 67 -4 1st
Brandon Hill.................. 74 +3 t-14th
Zach Herold................... 75 +4 t-26th
Brady Trout................... 76 +5 t-34th
Bryce Miley................... 80 +9 t-50th

Northwestern Ohio............. 294 +10 4th
Philip Fransson............... 72 +1 t- 6th
Kaleb Kuhn.................... 74 +3 t-14th
Lewis Scott................... 74 +3 t-14th
Sebastian Sundell............. 74 +3 t-14th
Kyle Karhoff.................. 87 +16 72nd

Anderson...................... 295 +11 5th
Cole Jeffreys................. 72 +1 t- 6th
David Wachter................. 72 +1 t- 6th
Forrest Fowler................ 74 +3 t-14th
Payton Whitlock............... 77 +6 t-40th
Ryan Kincaid.................. 81 +10 t-55th

Walters State................. 301 +17 6th
Joshua Chalfant............... 74 +3 t-14th
Tanner Nelson................. 75 +4 t-26th
Sam Baker..................... 76 +5 t-34th
Harris Dodson................. 76 +5 t-34th
Casey Zimmerman............... 77 +6 t-40th
Peyton Booker#................ 78 +7 t-43rd

Cape Fear..................... 304 +20 t- 7th
Nicky Beecroft................ 72 +1 t- 6th
Chase Brown................... 74 +3 t-14th
Alex McFadyen................. 74 +3 t-14th
Jacob Neal#................... 79 +8 t-47th
Anthony Gammon................ 84 +13 t-64th
Sam Swope..................... 84 +13 t-64th

Marian (Ind.)................. 304 +20 t- 7th
Cory Cahalan.................. 74 +3 t-14th
Vince Drahman................. 75 +4 t-26th
Dylan Gessinger............... 75 +4 t-26th
Michael Walters............... 80 +9 t-50th
Travis Sterrett............... 82 +11 t-59th

Lincoln Memorial "B".......... 309 +25 9th
Richard Hoskins............... 75 +4 t-26th
Garrett Tucker................ 75 +4 t-26th
Gavin Burns................... 76 +5 t-34th
Ethan Harlond#................ 79 +8 t-47th
Brent Carroll#................ 80 +9 t-50th
Garrett Metz.................. 83 +12 t-61st
Jamie Reid#................... 84 +13 t-64th
Tyler Bohanan................. 89 +18 t-75th

Bluefield State............... 312 +28 10th
JT Lester..................... 74 +3 t-14th
Kirk Collins.................. 76 +5 t-34th
Blake Hash.................... 79 +8 t-47th
Karson Terry.................. 83 +12 t-61st
J.J. McPherson................ 84 +13 t-64th

Northwestern Ohio "B"......... 314 +30 11th
A. Tamayo-Bautista............ 74 +3 t-14th
Ian Clement................... 75 +4 t-26th
Josh Apple.................... 81 +10 t-55th
Joseph Couch.................. 84 +13 t-64th
Brian Schatzer................ 91 +20 77th

Tennessee Wesleyan "B"........ 316 +32 12th
Tyler Reynolds................ 77 +6 t-40th
Drew Mays..................... 78 +7 t-43rd
Ben Brackett.................. 80 +9 t-50th
Trent Mansfield............... 81 +10 t-55th
Hunter Hensley................ 85 +14 71st

Northwestern Ohio "C"......... 325 +41 13th
Ivar Blohm.................... 76 +5 t-34th
Alejandro Aguilar............. 78 +7 t-43rd
Sam Corns..................... 83 +12 t-61st
Wesley Markward............... 88 +17 t-73rd
JC Motes...................... 88 +17 t-73rd

Virginia-Wise................. 329 +45 14th
Cody Large.................... 78 +7 t-43rd
Jacob Smith................... 80 +9 t-50th
Lucas Holcomb................. 82 +11 t-59th
Tyler Robinette............... 89 +18 t-75th

# Indicates individual player