AUGUSTA -- The USCB men's golf team came out firing on all cylinders Friday in the opening round of the Peach Belt Conference Championships at Forest Hills Golf Club, carding an impressive 9-under-par 279 to take the outright lead atop the leaderboard. The team's 279 overall score is the fifth lowest in PBC Tournament history.Â
The Sand Sharks were led by freshman sensation Erik Rengardt, who continued his breakout season with a scorching 5-under 67, and fellow standout Nicolas Normand, who remained steady and mistake-free en route to a 3-under 69.
Rengardt, who was recently named the PBC Freshman of the Year, wasted no time showing why he's among the league's elite. Starting on the back nine, he opened with back-to-back birdies on holes 9 and 10, setting the tone for a red-hot round. A lone bogey on the par-3 13th was quickly erased with birdies on 16 and 18, turning in a 3-under back nine. He kept the momentum going with a birdie on the 1st, before a bogey on 3 momentarily slowed him. Unfazed, Rengardt closed strong with birdies on 7 and 9, vaulting him to the top of the individual leaderboard.
Just two shots back sits Nicolas Normand, whose flawless round was the model of consistency. The Lasne, Belgium native opened on the back nine with a series of steady pars before notching birdies at 12 and 15. Normand reeled off eight consecutive pars to maintain momentum, then added a final birdie on the par-5 6th to finish at 3-under. His bogey-free scorecard puts him in solo second heading into Saturday.
Nikolai Holme also delivered a key round for the Sand Sharks, carding a 1-under 71. The Norwegian junior's highlight came with an eagle on the par-5 6th, which erased an earlier bogey and pushed him back into red figures. He capped off his round with a birdie on 9, helping solidify USCB's top spot on the leaderboard.
Ellis Bright added an even-par 72 to the team tally. The Trowbridge, England native made a splash early with an eagle on the par-4 12th and finished with a birdie on 9 to balance out a steady round.
Rounding out the squad was Aaron Williams, who posted a solid 2-over 74. Williams was 1-under through his first 12 holes, thanks to a birdie on the par-5 6th, but back-to-back bogeys late in the round nudged him over par.
With all five players contributing meaningful scores, the Sand Sharks' team performance places them firmly atop the field heading into Round 2. They'll look to maintain their momentum as play resumes Saturday at Forest Hills.
The Peach Belt Conference Championships continue through Sunday in Augusta, with USCB eyeing their first-ever PBC title in program history.
