Golf team in sixth place in Texas

AUSTIN, Texas | The top-ranked University of Alabama golf team is in sixth place after a tough opening but solid comeback Monday at the Morris Williams Intercollegiate, a 15-team tournament hosted by the University of Texas at the par 71 University of Texas Golf Club. The tournament played its first 36 holes on Monday. Alabama shot 17-over par, 301, in the morning round then rallied its clubs to shoot 3-over par, 287, in the afternoon round to climb from near the bottom to just above the middle of the pack in the standings.

Alabama goes into today’s final round 11 shots back of leader Oklahoma State who is at 9-over par, 577. The 36-hole standings find UNLV second at 580, followed by Texas, 581, Auburn, 586, Central Florida, 587, Alabama (301-287/588), Texas Tech, 589, Pepperdine, 593, Louisville, 596, Brigham Young, 597, TCU, 604, Tulsa, 606, New Mexico, 610, Fresno State, 611, and San Diego, 613.

Texas’s Charlie Holland has a one-shot lead ahead of four men who are among a tie at second. Holland stands atop the leader board at 1-under, shooting 68-73/141.

Matthew Swan had Alabama’s most dramatic turnaround from one round to the next. He shot 9-over, 80, in the morning round, bogeying seven holes and double-bogeying No. 18. He came back in the afternoon round and shot 5-under, 66, and playing the back nine holes at 4-under. Swan’s play moved him from a tie at 70th after the first round to his current spot, a tie at 15th, going into the final round.

Joseph Sykora is tied for 6th at 1-over, shooting 70-73/143 for Alabama’s best spot. Matt Hughes shot 76-75/151 and is tied at 40th at 9-over with, among others, his Alabama teammate, Gator Todd who shot 76-75/151. Back one shot and in a tie at 46th is Mark Harrell at 10-over (79-73/152).