May 14, 1998
The Texas A&M men's golf team fired a blistering two-under-par 282 Thursday to share the first round lead at the NCAA Central Regional at Oak Hills Country Club.
Junior Ryan Palmer and freshman Ryan Tull each carded three-under-par 68s, just one stroke behind individual leader Hunter Haas of Oklahoma, who fired a 67. The Aggies are tied for the lead with Northwestern, one stroke ahead of Houston and two ahead of the Sooners.
Play continues with 18 holes on Friday and the final 18 holes on Saturday. The top 10 teams and two individuals not on those teams advance to the NCAA Championships May 27-30 in Albuquerque, N.M.
A&M senior Miguel del Angel, the defending Central Regional co-champion, posted a one-over-par 72 and is tied for 27th place, while sophomore Lee Reed carded a 74. Junior Ty Cox recorded an 80.
"I'm extremely pleased with how the guys went out and played today," A&M coach Bob Ellis said. "It was nice to see us put together a good team round. We've been on the verge of it all year but always seemed to be missing one round. The players were really patient, which is how you have to play this golf course. We just need to continue to play one hole at a time. You can't win the tournament on the first day but you can certainly lose it. We've put ourselves in good position and hopefully we can build on that."
Palmer, a two-time All-Big 12 pick, bogeyed the first hole but bounced back with a birdie on the second. He later double bogeyed the sixth, but rallied with a birdie on the seventh. Earlier this spring, Palmer won the Louisiana Classics and the Border Olympics.
"I hit the ball pretty well but my putting was exceptional," Palmer said. "I made about a 20-foot putt for par on 14 and that really made my round. I never let the bogeys bother me. I remained patient and turned in a good score. Earlier this week, I told the guys we just needed to be patient, give ourselves a chance at some birdies and play smart. We did that today."
Tull's round was the best of his college career. He previous best was a two-under-par 70 in the final round of the BELLSOUTH Yellow Pages Intercollegiate last month in North Carolina. Tull carded four birdies on the day with a single bogey. He chipped in for a par on No. 16 and chipped in for a birdie on No. 17.
"I didn't hit my driver very well but my short game enabled me to turn in a good score," Tull said. "I just tried to take it one hole at a time and remain calm."
The Aggies are gunning for their third straight berth in the NCAA Championships. In 1996, A&M led wire-to-wire and won the Central Regional in Ann Arbor, Mich. Last year, the Aggies also led after the first round of the regional in Norman, Okla., and eventually finished third.
Sam Houston State's Todd Rossetti, competing as an individual, opened the tournament with a 73 on Thursday.
Several other Big 12 and Texas schools are competing in the regional. Surprising Texas- Arlington carded a 286 and is tied for fifth place with Nebraska, while Kansas is ninth (289), TCU is tied for 12th with Oklahoma State (292), Texas is 16th (294), SMU is 17th (295) and Baylor is tied for 19th (297).