By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
The Fort Hays State men’s golf team sits in fifth out of 15 teams after day one of the FHSU Tiger Classic on Monday (Oct. 18) at the beautiful Smoky Hill Country Club. The Tigers posted an opening-round score of 296 to sit in a tie for third after the first 18 holes before finishing the day with a round of 300.
The teams battled blustery winds that only got stronger as the day wore on. The par-70, 6,105-yard course packed a punch, with a scoring average of 77.5 on the day.
Dustin Nichols led the Tigers on day one with a two-round total of 7-over 147, good for a tie for eighth in the field of 84 golfers. The Olathe, Kan. native opened his day with three birdies over his first four holes before finishing the day with a team-high six circles on the scorecard. He posted an opening-round 74 before wrapping things up with a 73 in the second round thanks to a birdie on his final hole of the day.
Freshmen Parker Krob and Jackson Rader both sit in a tie for 28th at 11-over 151. Krob tied for the team lead in the first round with a 3-over 73 before adding an 8-over 78 in the afternoon loop around the course. He led the team and tied for 14th in the field with 21 pars on the day. Rader turned in scores of 5-over 75 and 6-over 76 in the first and second rounds, respectively. He carded three birdies on the day, including one on the tough par-4 2nd hole, one of just eight birdies on that hole in the entire field.
Bryce Cowan sits in a tie for 32nd after a two-round total of 12-over 152. After a first-round score of 9-over 79, the junior turned things around in the second trip around the course, tying for the best round of the day by a Tiger with a 3-over 73. He sat at 4-over through six holes before finishing the long day 1-under over his final 12 holes.
Maddux Mills is tied for 60th at 19-over 159 through two rounds. He posted an opening-round 4-over 74 that included four birdies before finishing the day with an afternoon round of 85.
Competing as an individual, Tanner Copeland sits in a tie for 68th after rounds of 82 and 79. Caleb Humble is one shot back in 70th thanks to rounds of 78 and 84, while Austin Perez sits in 75th behind scores of 82 and 83.
Central Oklahoma (22-over 582) is leading the team race by one stroke over Central Missouri (23-over 583), while Northeastern State’s Gabe Repogle is the overnight leader at 2-over 142 (70-72).
The Tigers will wrap up the home event on Tuesday (Oct. 19) with another shotgun start beginning at 8:40 a.m.