TEXARKANA, Ark. -- No. 5 UAB captains the leaderboard by eight strokes at the conclusion of Sunday’s first round of the 2018 Conference USA Men’s Golf Championship. The Blazers registered an even 288 and lead the field in Par 4 scoring (4.06, +3) and birdies (16) at Texarkana Country Club (par 72/6,969 yards).

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UAB redshirt sophomore William Walker III and No. 4 Rice senior Mitchell Meissner stand atop of the individual rankings after both firing 4-under 68. The duo are two of five competitors to turn in an under-par scorecard. Meissner sunk three-consecutive birdies on the front nine to make the turn at 32. Another one on hole 15 would allow his largest lead of the day at 6-under. Walker bogeyed the 13^th hole, but bounced back to tie the lead with back-to-back birdies.

No. 3 UTSA fills the runner-up spot at 296 for the day. Zander Lozano and Chad Sewell pace the Roadrunners at a tie for seventh while posting a plus-1 73. No. 2 Middle Tennessee and No. 6 UTEP share the third-place slot at 9-over 297. No. 1 North Texas rounds out the top-five at plus-11. 

Two of the field’s four eagles came at the hands of Middle Tennessee’s James Beckner and Tyler Johnson on holes seven and 12, respectively. The Blue Raiders bested the 13-team field in Par 3 (3.35, +7) and Par 5 (4.55, -9) scoring. No. 10 Louisiana Tech’s Hayden Frederick and No. 8 WKU’s Tom Bevington each recorded one on their respective front nine.

Team -- Score
1. UAB -- 288 (E)
2. UTSA -- 296 (+8)
T3. Middle Tennessee -- 297 (+9)
T3. UTEP -- 297 (+9)
5. North Texas -- 299 (+11)
6. Old Dominion -- 300 (+12) 
7. Charlotte -- 302 (+14) 
T8. Southern Miss -- 303 (+15)
T8. Rice -- 303 (+15)
10. WKU -- 304 (+16)
11. Marshall -- 310 (+22)
12. Florida Atlantic -- 314 (+26)
13. Louisiana Tech -- 315 (+27)