The top-ranked University of Redlands men's golf team began the 2015 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Championships on Sunday by firing off a solid opening round of 293 to sit four strokes back in second place. Senior Bobby Holden (Simi Valley, CA) continued his stellar season by posting a field-best 67, which came about on four birdies and an eagle, to finish five-under-par.
In addition, every Redlands player is among the top 30 in the individual standings. Junior Ryan Turner (Ventura, CA) signed his 18-hole scorecard with a 74 after notching a pair of birdies and an eagle to tie for 11th. Senior Anthony Estes (San Pedro, CA) closely followed in a tie for 14th by hitting 12 pars on the day for a score of 75.
Junior John McCord (Oakland, CA) completed the day with a 77 after registering 13 pars to tie for first among the field in this category. He currently sits knotted in 22nd place.
Freshman Jake Ryan (Portland, OR) recorded a 78 with three birdies, while freshman Joseph Kuehn (Eugene, OR) came off the course after hitting 12 pars for a score of 79 on the opening day. They are tied for 25th and 28th, respectively.
With the lowest aggregate score determining the conference champion, Redlands remains well ahead of its counterparts after day one of the SCIAC Championships. The Maroon and Gray entered the tournament with a minimum 30-stroke lead on all opponents.
The Bulldogs return to action on Monday, April 27, for round two at Oak Valley, beginning at 7:30 a.m.