Mattner Sits in Top Five at the Hayt

February 26, 2016 | Men's Golf

Feb. 26, 2016

TEAM LEADERBOARD | PLAYER LEADERBOARD | PAIRINGS

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Highlighted by his first collegiate eagle, freshman Nick Mattner posted even par, a career-best result, and is tied for fifth after the opening round at the John Hayt Invitational Feb. 26.

Team Scores

1. North Florida: 293--(+5)
2. Jacksonville: 299--(+11)
3. Oklahoma State: 300--(+12)
4. Louisville: 301--(+13)
5. North Texas: 302--(+14)
T6. UCLA: 303--(+15)
T6. Coastal Carolina: 303--(+15)
T8. Tennessee: 305--(+17)
T8. Liberty: 305--(+17)
10. UAB: 307--(+19)
11. East Carolina: 310--(+22)
12. Furman: 313--(+25)
T13. Tulsa: 315--(+27)
T13. Army West Point: 315--(+27)
15. UCF: 321--(+33)

Individual Scores

T1. Phillip Knowles (North Florida): 70--(-2)
T1. Brendon Jelley (Oklahoma State): 70--(-2)
T3. Zach Bauchou (Oklahoma State): 71--(-1)
T3.Raul Pereda (Jacksonville): 71--(+1)
T5. Nicklas Mattner (Tennessee): 72--(E)

Tennessee Scores

T5. Nicklas Mattner: 72--(E)
T18. Chad Merzbacher: 75--(+2)
T33. Jack Smith (I): 77--(+5)
T46. Lorenzo Scalise: 78--(+6)
T62. Mike Nagy: 80-- (+8)
T62. Juan Carlos Serrano: 80-- (+8)

In addition to his eagle on the par-5 11th, Mattner birdied the par-4 16th en route to the first round 72.

Mattner trails by two strokes to North Florida's Phillip Knowles and Oklahoma State's Brendon Jelley.

No. 50 Tennessee finished with an overall 305 and is tied for eighth after the first round. The Vols climbed as high as third place in the round but slipped during back nine play.

Senior Chad Merzbacher sits among the top 20 following the first round after shooting a 3-over 75. Merzbacher birdied two and is tied for 18th.

Jack Smith, who is competing as an individual at the Hayt, birdied two on the day and finished 5-over. Smith will enter the second round tied for 33rd.

Sophomore Lorenzo Scalise shot a 6-over 78 and is tied for 46th after the first round. Michael Nagy and Juan Carlos Serrano Guevara each shot 8-over.

No. 37 North Florida sits atop the leaderboard after shooting a 5-over 293 Friday.

From the Fringe

Freshman Nicklas Mattner carded a career-low relative to par with his opening round even par. His career low in strokes is a 1-over 71 in the second round of the Sea Best Invitational Feb. 1.

Mattner's best collegiate finish is a tie for 57th at the Sea Best Invitational.

Chad Merzbacher's opening round 75 places him in a tie for 18th. If he can finish the tournament in the top 20, that would mark his fourth top 20 finish in six tournaments this season.

What's Next

Second round play at the Hayt begins Saturday morning. Tennessee will be paired with Coastal Carolina and Liberty. Tee times for Tennessee golfers are as follows (all times ET):

9 a.m. - Juan Carlos Serrano Guevara

9:09 a.m. - Michael Nagy

9:18 a.m. - Lorenzo Scalise

9:27 a.m. - Chad Merzbacher

9:36 a.m. - Nicklas Mattner

10:30 a.m. - Jack Smith (competing as individual)

For more information on the tournament, John Hayt Invitational homepage .

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