The Chattanooga Mocs shot 297 to open play at the Southern Conference Championship at National Golf Club. The team is in fifth, three shots behind Davidson and Western Carolina in first at 294.
The round was similar to an Oreo cookie. A slow start and lackluster finish surrounded a fabulous center. The Mocs opened at eight-over par through seven holes when the scoring surfaced.
Ewan Scott (St. Andrews, Scotland) started the birdie train with one on the par four seventh. Wes Gosselin (Knoxville, Tenn.) followed with three in a row on nine, 10 and 11. Two groups later, Liam Johnston (Dumfries, Scotland) turned the same trick as both turned three-over par rounds into level par efforts.
Scott added birdies on 10 and 11, while Davis Bunn (Knoxville) chipped a fourth birdie on the par fifth 10. The Mocs were plus two though 15 before playing the final three holes at seven over on the counting cards.
Johnston shot 73 (+1) to lead the way. Chris Robb (Aberdeenshire, Scotland) had a very steady 74 (+2) which was matched by Scott who carded a season-high five birdies, all in a nine-hole stretch (7-15). Gosselin’s 76 rounded out the team score.
The Catamounts’ J.T. Poston leads at four-under par 68. Davidson’s David Sargent is second at 70 as just six golfers shot par or better today. Johnston is tied with five others in seventh at 73.
Chattanooga tees off at 9:40 a.m., in Monday’s second round. Bunn leads off followed by Gosselin (9:50), Scott (10:00), Robb (10:10) and Johnston (10:20). The Mocs are paired with Georgia Southern and UNCG. Click the links above for tee times and live scoring.