TicketsUniversity of Cincinnati senior Davis Baxter (Nolsenville, Tenn./Ravenwood High School) fired a 1-under par 70 Sunday to grab first place after the opening round of the American Championship at the Innisbrook Golf & Spa Resort in Palm Harbor, Florida.
Baxter leads the 50-player field after posting four birdies over a five-hole stretch to start the back nine. He finished the day as the only player in the tournament below par. He leads a group of nine players by one stroke heading into Monday's second round. Tee times start at 7:30 a.m. ET. The Bearcats are scheduled to start their day beginning at 8:13 a.m. ET. Follow the scoring live at Golfstat.com. The American Digital Network will provide live coverage of Tuesday's final round beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET.
As a team, the Bearcats completed the day in fourth place at 7-over 291. USF leads the 10-team event after an even par 284 performance. UCF is second at 5-over 289. SMU ranks third at 6-over 290.
Along with Baxter three other Bearcats finished the opening round ranked in the Top 30. UC junior Austin Squires (Union, Ky./Ryle High School) tied four other players for 11th place at 1-over 72. Freshman Nicolas Osterburg (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian High School) is tied with seven players for 22nd place at 3-over 74. Redshirt-freshman Andy Mayhew (Dayton, Ohio/Oakwood High School) is tied with six player for 30th place at 4-over 75. Sophomore Jake Fox (Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller High School) is 50th after a 15-over 86.
Cincinnati started the event seeded sixth according to Golfstat rankings. The Bearcats tied for second place at the event last year, the program's best conference tournament finish since winning back-to-back Great Midwest Conference titles in 1993 and 1994.
// QUOTING COACH DOUG MARTIN
On Cincinnati's first-round performance:
"The golf course played very difficult today. I thought overall we did a very good job managing the course. Davis Baxter played a very solid round of golf. He was in good position all day. Austin Squires scrapped out a solid round as well. Tomorrow will be a new challenge and we must come ready for the battle."
// CINCINNATI PLAYERS
1 – Davis Baxter 70 (-1)
T11 – Austin Squires 72 (+1)
T22 – Nicolas Osterburg 74 (+3)
T30 – Andy Mayhew 75 (+4)
50 – Jake Fox 86 (+15)
// TEAM STANDINGS
1 – South Florida 284 (E)
2 – UCF 289 (+5)
3 – SMU 290 (+6)
4 – Cincinnati 291 (+7)
T5 – East Carolina 292 (+8)
T5 – Wichita State 292 (+8)
7 – Temple 296 (+12)
8 – Houston 301 (+17)
T9 – Memphis 302 (+18)
T9 – UConn 302 (+18)