ETOWAH, N.C. --- The Tusculum College men's golf team posted a team score of 311 as the Pioneers are in 11th place following the opening day of the 2016 South Atlantic Conference Championship. The three-day, 54-hole tournament is being held at the Etowah Valley Golf Club and hosted by Brevard College.

Lenoir-Rhyne University and Carson-Newman University share the lead after the first round as both posted scores of 295. Mars Hill University is third with 298, while Coker College and Lincoln Memorial University are tied for fourth place with 300. Queens University of Charlotte and Wingate University both fired 303 and are tied for sixth place, while Brevard and Newberry College are tied for eighth with 304. Anderson University is 10th with 310, followed by Tusculum (311) and Catawba College (317).

The Tusculum senior duo of Nick Forsberg and Brad Hawkins both carded rounds of 77 and are tied for 30th place. Junior Chris Hutson is tied for 39th with his 78, including an eagle 3 on the final hole Sunday. Junior Preston Tucker is 44th with his 79, while junior Taylor Smith is 58th with an 84.

Lenoir-Rhyne's Hunter McCombs and Jon Noble of Queens each shot two-under par 70 and share the opening day lead.

The second round will be played on Monday, followed by the final round on Tuesday on the par-72, 6,892-yard layout.

- SAC -

2016 SAC Men's Golf Championship
Pl Team TOT
1 Lenoir-Rhyne 295
Carson-Newman 295
3 Mars Hill 298
4 Coker 300
Lincoln Memorial 300
6 Queens 303
Wingate 303
8 Brevard 304
Newberry 304
10 Anderson 310
11 TUSCULUM 311
12 Catawba 317

Tusculum Individual Scores
Pl Player TOT
T30 Nick Forsberg 77
T30 Brad Hawkins 77
T39 Chris Hutson 78
T44 Preston Tucker 79
58 Taylor Smith 84