KIAWAH ISLAND — After 18 holes at The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, the Newberry Wolves men’s golf team sat one shot back of leader Missouri-St. Louis at one of the toughest courses in all of golf.
The Ocean Course, which was ranked the toughest golf course in America in 2010 by Golf Digest, has been the home to two major championships and the Ryder Cup.
Sitting right off the Atlantic Ocean, the course provides multiple challenges with water, sand, and wind which comes right off the coastline. It would prove its challenges to the players in day one of the Newberry Invitational.
Due to its challenges and the large field of players, round two at The Ocean Course was suspended due to darkness and teams will continue play tomorrow morning. Players will begin round three later in the day.
Newberry, serving at the host of the invitational, was up to the challenge firing a team score of 293 and five over par putting the Wolves in a second-place tie with Clayton State.
South Carolina-Aiken places two shots back at seven-over par, and Mars Hill rounds out the top-five with a team score of 298 and 10-over par.
Newberry placed four of its participants in the top-15 after 18 holes on Kiawah Island.
Harry Bolton led Newberry with a first round 71, finishing at one under. Bolton placed in a tie for eighth overall, four shots back of leader Andres Caballero of Clayton State who shot five under on the day.
Bolton held steady collecting 11 pars in the first round to go with his four birdies.
Juniors Carlos Leandro and Spencer Skiff and senior Evan DeGrazia all finished in a five-way tie for 15th place overall with a two-over 74 first round.
DeGrazia was one of the more consistent players on par-four holes finishing the day at one under.
Luke Atack rounded out the Newberry five with a seven-over 79 in round one. Atack, along with Boulton, were two of the top par five performers on the day finishing at two-under on such holes.
Sophomore Ben Thompson competed as an individual for Newberry, shooting a six-over 78.