Defending champion Bulldogs lead after first round

No. 2 Mississippi Gulf Coast's Grant Motter fired a 4-under 68 Saturday to lead the Bulldogs to the first-round lead at the MACJC Tournament in Corinth.

The defending state champs shot 2-over 290 to lead Copiah-Lincoln by four strokes at Shiloh Hills Athletic Club.

"It was really a team effort because the golf course was playing tough," Gulf Coast coach Tommy Snell said. "It was not the same course we played in the fall."

Golfers played from the very back of many tee boxes, and in fact played a couple new tee boxes the Bulldogs didn't see in the fall tournament there. Snell said he likes to play the longer courses, though.

Motter roared out to a 4-under front nine that included five birdies. He leads Co-Lin's Joseph Dendy by two shots, and Gulf Coast teammate Jonathon Newman, who is tied for third with East Mississippi's Daniel Schroder at 1-under.

"Jonathon Newman really hung in there," Snell said. "He played well all day long. That's great for a freshman."

Fellow freshman Colin Troxler is tied for 10^th at 2-over. Snell said he battled through a day where he wasn't playing his best.

Sophomore's Phillip Hickam and George Kawell are tied for 21^st at 5-over. Hickam went out at 5-over and had two more bogeys on the back, but nearly went birdie-birdie-birdie on the last three holes to get it back to 77.

Gulf Coast will try to close out defense of its MACJC title Sunday in the second round. The first group tees off at 8:30 a.m.

"We just need to play our game," Snell said. "I know that's cliché, but if they play, don't get excited and stay patient, we'll be OK. When we play well, we have a very solid team. "

Full results: http://www.golfstatresults.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=team&tid=8830

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