The Tennessee men’s golf team finished the first round of the Mason Rudolph Championship in second place on April 3, following a strong performance at the Vanderbilt Legends Course.
The tournament features 15 teams, with Tennessee posting a score of four-under-par 280 to secure its position behind Auburn, which leads by six strokes at ten-under-par. The Volunteers are ahead of Vanderbilt and Mississippi State, who are third and fourth respectively after the opening day.
Bruce Murphy led Tennessee individually with a two-under-par 69. After starting with four consecutive birdies on holes three through six, Murphy faced setbacks with three bogeys and a double bogey on the back nine but recovered with an eagle on hole seventeen and a birdie on eighteen. He is tied for fifth place entering Saturday’s second round.
Freshmen Luke Smith and Chase Kyes also contributed to Tennessee’s total by each shooting one-under-par 70. Smith recorded four birdies against three bogeys and closed his round with a birdie. Kyes made three birdies but had a double bogey as his only significant error. Both players are tied for fourteenth place.
Lance Simpson completed the team’s countable scores by carding an even-par 71, balancing out three bogeys with three birdies early in his round. Simpson is tied for twenty-second place going into Saturday’s play.
The Mason Rudolph Championship will continue Saturday as teams compete in the second round at Vanderbilt Legends Course.
