Blue Raiders in 10th at Rio Pinar

ORLANDO, Fla. - The Middle Tennessee men's golf team opened the 2004 spring season by registering rounds of 307-301=608 to stand in 10th place after 36 holes at the UCF/Rio Pinar Intercollegiate. Sun Belt Conference foe South Alabama is leading the event with a 577, while host UCF is one stroke back in second.

"We did not play well in any phase of the game today," head coach Johnny Moore said. "We never gave ourselves a chance all day. There's 18 more holes left and we need to step up our play and see if we can get a top five out of this."

Josh Nelms led the Blue Raiders with rounds of 71-75 to tie for 13th overall. Nelms fired a one-under par 71 in round one, then came back to card a 75 in the second 18.

Chris Webb was tied for 26th after a two-round total of 150, while Blake Bivens tied for 55th with a 156. Bivens opened with a disappointing 82, then stormed back with a 74 in the day's final round.

Senior Charlie Gibson shot a pair of 79s to tie for 66th, while Taylor Bowers completed the scoring with a 36-hole total of 162.

The Blue Raiders will play the final round on Tuesday.

TEAM SCORES
1 South Alabama, U. of 295 282 577
2 UCF 290 288 578
3 Coastal Carolina 289 299 588
4 Lamar University 296 293 589
5 Texas-Arlington 296 298 594
Mercer University 297 297 594
7 Kansas, U. of 299 300 599
8 Indiana University 297 304 601
9 So. Florida, U. of 298 304 602
10 Middle Tennessee 307 301 608
11 Richmond, Univ. of 310 300 610
12 Belmont University 309 303 612
13 Florida Atlantic U. 316 300 616
14 Davidson College 309 310 619
East Carolina Univ. 311 308 619
16 Oral Roberts Univ. 300 320 620
17 Wofford College 311 313 624
18 Jacksonville Univ. 316 317 633

MT SCORES
T 13 Josh Nelms 71 75 146
T 26 Chris Webb 77 73 150
T 55 Blake Bivens 82 74 156
T 66 Charlie Gibson 79 79 158
84 Taylor Bowers 80 82 162

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