CLOSE TO THE ‘VEST’ — Lee golfer Hunter Vest lines up a putt in the Lee Spring Invitational at Cleveland Country Club Monday.
It wasn’t exactly the way coach John Maupin had it planned, but his Lee men’s golf team will have 18 holes to make up 10 strokes as the Flames play host to their first invitational golf tournament.
Playing in the Lee Spring Invitational on the wet Cleveland Country Club course, the Flames battled but watched as the University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) posted an impressive 295 and claimed the opening-day lead.
Shorter University (298), Reinhardt College (301) and Southern Wesleyan University (302) join Lee (305) as clubs within striking distance.
Shorter’s Arvid Bengtsson is the medalist leader after the first round with a 5-under par 67. Seven golfers shot par or better on the tough Country Club layout. Tyler Cozad (Southern Wesleyan) and Cumberland’s Aaron Watkins are three strokes back of the leader (70).
Lee’s Tyler Smith heads a group of four at even par 72. Reinhardt’s Zach Lindsey, Shorter’s Ethan Lambert and Reinhardt’s Chris Cartwright also finished with rounds of 72.
Cumberland’s Fredrik Lindblom carded a 73, while teammate Pierre Carlsson and Campbellsville’s Trey Shirley joined Southern Wesleyan’s Sam Jackson at 74.
Lee’s JB Eksteen was 3-over par (75). Brad Gardner, playing with Lee’s B-team, came in at 77. Jeremy Lawson totaled a 78, Hunter Vest finished with an 80 and Matt Emery rounded out Lee’s first-group scoring with an 82.
Thirteen teams are involved in the 36-hole event and the Lee B-team stands in the 11th spot. Play is scheduled to continue on Tuesday morning at 9 a.m.
Lady Flames
in hunt for first
ROME, Ga. — When the Lee women’s golf team tees off in the second round of the Rome News-Tribune Invitational on Tuesday morning, the young Lady Flames will have an opportunity to bring the first-place trophy back to Cleveland.
The Lady Flames fired an impressive opening round 304 at the Coosa Country Club on Monday and trails leader Shorter University (298) by only six strokes. West Georgia appears to be out of the hunt at 318, while the University of the Cumberlands (320) and Birmingham Southern College (329) round out the top five in the 12-team event.
Shorter’s Greta Lange posted a 3-under par 69 to grab the first day lead in the medalist hunt. Lee’s Kristin Bourg and Geandra Almeida each posted 1-over par 73’s and are on pace to challenge Lange for the top spot. Courtney Shelton is in sixth place with a 76, while Sloane Skinner (82) and Amanda DeJiacomo (85) round out Lee’s top five scorers.
