first round scores and standings
SORRENTO, Fla. – A spectacular finish to his opening round at the NCAA Southeast Regional lifted Bill Jones III to an even-par 71 and a share of 30th place at the RedTail Golf Club in Sorrento, Fla. Jones birdied three of his final four holes to cancel out a double-bogey at the par-four 13th: the only real blemish on a solid opening day for the Conyers, Ga. native.
After carding seven pars, a bogey and a birdie to make the turn at even-par 35, Jones struggled at the beginning of his back-nine. A bogey on the 10th and a six on the par-four 13th pushed him to three-over on the round.
Following the weather delay, however, Jones calmed down and finished his round with style, birdieing the par-three 15th, and the par-four 16th and 18th.
The storming finish should give Jones plenty of momentum heading into tomorrow’s second round. To qualify for the NCAA Finals, Jones will need to be the top individual golfer not playing for one of the top five teams at the regional. That spot is currently occupied by Adam Mitchell of Georgia, who sits at three-under par: just three shots above Jones.
Arizona’s Tarquin MacManus currently leads the tournament after firing an eight-under 63 in the first round.