LEASOR, MIDDLETON TIED FOR THIRD; A&M-COMMERCE SITS SIXTH AT LION FALL INVITATIONAL
2011 Lion Fall Invitational
Location: The Tribute Golf Club * The Colony, Texas
Result: A&M-Commerce "A" sits sixth (3-over 291); A&M-Commerce "B" is tied for ninth (12-over 300) after round one
Top Performer: Chris Leasor, Kyle Middleton tied for third (3-under 69)
Final Round: Tuesday, Nov. 1 * 8 a.m. shotgun start
THE COLONY, Texas -- Three Lions shoot under par through the opening round at the Lion Fall Invitational, led by a 3-under 69 from both Chris Leasor and Kyle Middleton, as A&M-Commerce sits sixth after the opening round of play. The 3-over 291 is the lowest single round for the Lions this year.
Scores were low across the board on a perfect day for golf, with temperatures in the low 70s, little wind and a cloudless sky helping to bring scores down. A&M-Commerce was fielding two teams in its host tournament of the fall, with the Lion "B" team shooting a 12-over 300.
Leasor's 3-under 69 is a season-low, which was complemeted by a career-low 2-under 70 from Marcus Sanna, who sits tied for eighth in the individual standings, to lead the A&M-Commerce "A" team. Patrick Russo sits third on the scorecard with a 2-over 74, followed by Jarret Martin and Derek Rucki's 6-over 78.
For the "B" team, Middleton leads the way with his career-best 3-under 69, which included a 3-under 33 over the final nine holes. Cade Grimm sits second and is tied for 23rd with a 1-over 73, followed by Brett Bradshaw's 3-over 76 and John Moug's 10-over 82.
The Lion "A" team enters Tuesday's final round just one shot back of fifth-place Incarnate Word (2-over 290) and three back of fourth-place Cameron (Even 288). A&M-Commerce has a three shot advantage over East Central (6-over 294) heading into the final 18 holes.
For the A&M-Commerce "B" team, they currently tied for ninth with Southeastern Oklahoma State (12-over 300), 16 shots ahead of 11th-place Texas A&M International (28-over 316). The Lions trail the Cameron "B" team (11-over 299) by one shot and are six back of the seventh-place Tigers.
Central Oklahoma took advantage of the ideal weather conditions, posting a 12-under 276 through round one as four of its five competitors finished the opening round with scores under par. The Bronchos hold a two-stroke lead over Midwestern State (10-under 278), who has the tournament's individual leader in Sam Smith. Smith posted an 8-under 64, including a 6-under 30 over the back nine, to sit atop the individual leaderboard.
Dallas Baptist (4-under 284) checks in comfortably at third, four shots better than the fourth-place Aggies and six strokes better than the fifth-place Cardinals.
Tuesday's final round will be another shotgun start, getting underway at 8 a.m. at the Tribute Golf Club. The A&M-Commerce "A" squad will be paired with Cameron and Incarnate Word, teeing off on holes eight through 11, while the "B" team plays against East Central and Cameron's "B" team, starting on holes 12-14. Final results will be available at LionAthletics.com once they become available.