VALDOSTA, Ga. - The Florida Gulf Coast University men's golf team is knotted in a tie for first place after the opening round of the ASUN Championship on Tuesday afternoon at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club, posting a team score of 6-under to share the top spot with North Florida.

Leading the charge for FGCU is Sebastian Gamboa, who sits in a tie for first individually after firing a 5-under 67, a round that included six birdies, tied for the second most in the field. Sacha Ruiz is tied for eighth at 2-under 70, while Brett Moore is tied for 19th after signing for an even-par 72. Nolan Harper is tied for 27th at 1-over 73, and Christian Figueredo rounds out the lineup in a tie for 42nd at 3-over 75.


TEAM LEADERS - Florida Gulf Coast (-6); North Florida (-6)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS - Sebastian Gamboa, Florida Gulf Coast (-5); Andrew Ferworn, North Alabama (-5); Patton Samuels, Austin Peay (-5)
LOCATION - Kinderlou Forest Golf Club | Par 72 | 7,517-yard
STANDINGS - 

T1. Florida Gulf Coast (-6)

T1. North Florida (-6)

3. North Alabama (-4)

4. Lipscomb (-2)

T5. Stetson (-1)

T5. Eastern Kentucky (-1)

T7. Central Arkansas (+1)

T7. Austin Peay (+1)

9. Queens (+3)

10. Jacksonville (+6)

11. Bellarmine (+8)

12. West Goergia (+14)

Gamboa was the Eagles' catalyst from start to finish, delivering a sharp and consistent round that never wavered from the opening tee shot. He made the turn at 3-under after birdies on holes two, seven and eight, posting a 33 on the outward half. On the back nine, he gave back a shot with a bogey on the par-4 13th but answered immediately with a birdie on the par-5 14th. He then closed with back-to-back birdies on holes 17 and 18, capping a back-nine 34 and signing for a 67, tied for the lowest score in the field. Gamboa's 11 pars on the day were tied for the 18th most in the field.

Ruiz was aggressive and productive through the front nine, posting birdies on holes two, four and five while battling bogeys on holes one and seven to make the turn at 1-under with a 35. He kept the momentum going on the back nine, picking up birdies on holes 12 and 16, though a bogey on hole 17 trimmed his final margin to 2-under. He closed with a back-nine 35 and finished with five birdies on the day, tied for the ninth most in the field.

Moore was a model of steadiness throughout the round, playing the first six holes at even par before a birdie on the par-4 seventh gave him his first red number of the day. A bogey on the par-3 eighth brought him back to even at the turn with a 36. On the back nine, he made his move early, carding birdies on holes 10 and 11 to reach 2-under for the round. Bogeys on holes 13 and 16 offset those gains, however, and he finished with a back-nine 36 for an even-par 72. Moore's 12 pars on the day were tied for the 10th most in the field.

Harper was solid and disciplined for much of the round, recovering from an opening bogey on hole one with birdies on holes four and seven to reach 1-under through nine holes with a front-nine 35. His back nine was a tale of consistency until a costly double bogey on the par-3 17th pushed him to 1-over for the round. He parred every other hole on the inward half, finishing with a back-nine 38 for a 1-over 73. Harper's 14 pars on the day were tied for the third most in the field.

Figueredo showed early promise, opening with back-to-back birdies on holes one and two to reach 2-under through two holes. The front nine turned turbulent from there, as bogeys on holes three, five and six offset his third birdie of the day on the par-4 seventh, and he made the turn at even par with a 36. The back nine proved steady for the most part, as he parred the first seven holes before a bogey on hole 16 and a double bogey on the par-4 18th resulted in a back-nine 39 and a final score of 3-over 75.

As a unit, FGCU recorded 19 birdies in the opening round, tied for the fourth most in the field, and led all teams with 57 pars while recording the fewest bogeys among all squads.


The Eagles return to Kinderlou Forest Golf Club on Wednesday for the second round of the ASUN Championship.

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