GREENWOOD, S.C. - The Georgia Southwestern golf team fired its lowest round in five years of NCAA play on Monday, a 7-under 281, to grab a six-stroke lead after Day 1 at the Second Annual Lander Bearcat Golf Classic being held at the par-72, 6,800-yard Greenwood Country Club.
Craig Gibson paced the 'Canes with the low score of the 90-player field, a 5-under 67.
Southwestern sits six strokes ahead of 10th-ranked Barton and host school, Lander. Carson-Newman is fourth after posting an even par 288.
GSW's Nate Gahman and J.P. Griffin are tied for seventh place after firing 2-under par rounds of 70. John Wilson Gordon shot a 74 to tie for 36th overall and Reese Moseley added a 9-over 81.
The Hurricanes return to the links on Tuesday at 9 a.m. for the final round of the Bearcat Classic.
2011 BEARCAT CLASSIC - TEAM SCORES
| Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Total | ||
| (RV) GSW | 281 | 281 | -7 | |
| (10) Barton | 287 | 287 | -1 | |
| (RV) Lander | 287 | 287 | -1 | |
| Carson-Newman | 288 | 288 | E | |
| (8) Georgia College | 289 | 289 | +1 | |
| (17) Newberry | 290 | 290 | +2 | |
| (RV) UNC Pembroke | 291 | 291 | +3 | |
| (RV) Queens | 292 | 292 | +4 | |
| Erskine | 293 | 293 | +5 | |
| (RV) Flagler | 296 | 296 | +8 | |
| West Georgia | 296 | 296 | +8 | |
| Mount Olive | 297 | 297 | +9 | |
| North Georgia | 299 | 299 | +11 | |
| (17) USC Aiken | 299 | 299 | +11 | |
| Coker | 300 | 300 | +12 | |
| Montevallo | 304 | 304 | +16 | |
| (RV) Clayton State | 311 | 311 | +23 | |
| ( ) - NCAA Division II ranking in latest Golf World/Nike Golf Coaches Poll with RV = received votes | ||||
GSW SCORES
| Place | Rd. 1 | Rd. 2 | Total | ||
| 1 | Craig Gibson | 67 | 67 | -5 | |
| T7 | Nate Gahman | 70 | 70 | -2 | |
| T7 | J.P. Griffin | 70 | 70 | -2 | |
| T36 | John Wilson Gordon | 74 | 74 | +2 | |
| T86 | Reese Moseley | 81 | 81 | +9 |