Houston Holds 1st Round C-USA Men's Golf Lead

NAVARRE, Fla. -- Defending Conference USA men's golf champion Houston opened defense of that title in impressive fashion here Monday with a 3-under-par 285 team total to take a four shot lead after one round of the 54-hole event being hosted by The Navarre Beach Committee and played at The Club at Hidden Creek.

Each of the 12 league schools taking part in the event play five golfers, and count the top four scores. The Cougars won last year's championship by 27 strokes over runner-up UNC Charlotte.

UAB's senior Tyrol Auret posted the best individual round of the first day with a 3-under-par 69 over the par 72, 6,795 yard layout. However, last year's tournament medalist, Houston's Andy Sanders, was just a stroke back, along with teammate Wade Ormsby, who finished fifth in the medalist race at last year's championship. Their two-under par scores along with an even par 72 from teammate James Edmondson, and a one over par 73 from B. J. Staten left the Cougars four shots in front of South Florida and seven shots up on UAB. Louisville is in fourth place after one round at 297, and UNCC and Memphis are tied for fifth at 299. Other team scores include DePaul at 302, Cincinnati at 305, Tulane at 306, Saint Louis at 308, Southern Miss at 309, and Marquette at 312.

South Florida players Brett Hitchcock and Patrick Watermeier had the only other sub-par rounds Monday with identical 36-35-71's. Five other players matched par.

The second round of the championship starts at 7:00 a.m., Tuesday morning with all players teeing off on hole one, and concludes with a 7:30 a.m., start Wednesday with teams starting on tees one and 10.