No. 4 Bulldogs lead after 18 at MACCC Championship

No. 4 Mississippi Gulf Coast showed resiliency in Monday's first round of the MACCC Championship in Brookhaven. The Bulldogs ended the day with a two-shot lead over Jones and a five-shot advantage on No. 7 Meridian.

"We had a couple guys that responded well to a slow start, and some other guys that were just consistent throughout the day," Gulf Coast coach Brad Thornton said. "I was really pleased with the results from today."

Jayden Owensby (Fr., Hernando/Hernando) and Logan Jensen (Fr., Diamondhead/Hancock) shot 1-under 69s and are tied for third. Hinds' Stephen Faucheaux leads after carding a 66 at The Club at Ole Brook.

Paul Hoefer (Fr., Heidelberg, Germany/Kurpfalzgymnasium Mannheim) and Cal Wier (Fr., Hernando/Lewisburg) are tied for eighth at even-par. 

Owensby double-bogeyed No. 4, but responded with three birdies over the next four holes. Jensen had five birdies and four bogeys.

"Both of them converted on some opportunities," Thornton said. "They were able to put themselves in position to score off the tee. They were in proximity to the pin the whole day and took advantage. That gives them a really good chance tomorrow."

Hoefer's card showed a hard right turn at the turn. He was 5-over on the front, but then made three birdies and an eagle on the back.

"He does a good job of making in-round adjustments, and that was the thing today," Thornton said. "He was hitting the ball all over the golf course and tightened it up coming down the stretch. That back nine is the difference in us trailing by one or two or being up by a few shots."

Wier's round started with a double bogey, but he eagled the fourth hole. Things steadied out after that, with one bogey and one birdie on the back.

The top five teams from the tournament will join host Hinds in the Gulf South District Championship. Six individuals from non-qualifying teams will also move on, the next three highest finishers from the MACCC championship plus the three best stroke averages from conference play. The district tournament will be played April 27-29 at Castlewoods Country Club in Brandon.

The final round in Brookhaven will be played Tuesday. Live updates are available at https://scoreboard.clippd.com/tournaments/244059/scoring/team.

For more information on MGCCC's 12 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.