April 29, 2007

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Sophomore Rocky Cleland shot an even-par 72, while redshirt freshman Paul Apyan and junior Kyle Ramey each fired a 73 to help lead Southern Miss to fourth place after the first day of the 54-hole Conference USA Championship being played at the 6,935-yard Texarkana Country Club in Texarkana, Texas, Sunday.

Cleland, from Hattiesburg, Miss., delivered a 37 on the front nine and a 35 on the back nine to notch the Golden Eagles lone par score and an 11th-place tie. Apyan, from Chattanooga, Tenn., had a 35 and a 38, while Ramey, from Paducah, Ky., had a 36 and 37 as each player ranks tied for 17th.

Senior Joel Myrick (Hattiesburg, Miss.) notched a 39 and 36 for a 75 first-round total and a 28th-place tie, while freshman Wes Carter (Hoover, Ala.) collected a 40 on each nine holes to rank tied for 52nd with an 80.

Ryan Henry, of Tulsa, was one of 10 players to shot under par with a tournament-leading 68, ahead of two other golfers by one stroke. The Golden Hurricane lead the tournament as well with a 285 first-day total, three strokes ahead of second place Memphis (288). UTEP notched third at 291, followed by Southern Miss (293), Houston (295), UCF and Rice (296), UAB (298), Marshall (300), SMU (301) and East Carolina (302).

The Golden Eagles continue in the three-day event, Monday, with 18 holes as they begin their day at 9:40 a.m. The tournament concludes Tuesday with 18 final holes.
Team Standings