BROKEN ARROW, Okla. – Henderson State, victorious at the last two Great American Conference Men’s Golf championships, opened play on Sunday at the 2024 GAC Championships from The Club at Forest Ridge with a team score of 5-over par 293 to stand five shots clear of the field. The Reddies’ Alex Hadden navigated the course in a 3-under par 69, the lone player to break par in the first round..
Hadden, a Second-Team All-GAC selection, leads by three strokes. He finished both sides in grand fashion as he eagled the par-5 18th as well as the par-5 ninth. He added three birdies in his round. Ethan Wilkins, a member of the All-GAC First Team, carded the second-best round for the Reddies, a 1-over 73. Miller Harris finished in a tie 10th following a 3-over 75; Ratio Visuttipinate shot a 4-over 76 to share 13th.
Southern Arkansas edged out Harding by a single stroke for second place. Caleb Mller’s even-par round featured four birdies. The All-GAC First-Team performer claimed second position. Connor Harrington and fellow First-Teamer Logan McDonald produced matching 1-over 73s to make up half of the four-way tie for third.
Dennis Staykov paced the Bisons with a 1-over round. Sam Tandy, the league’s Player of the Year, tied for seventh following a 2-over opening round. Jose Peralta shot a 3-over 75 to tie for 10th while Jose Arzu, the GAC Freshman of the Year, posted a 5-over round to share 18th.
Arkansas Tech took fourth place, followed by Southwestern Oklahoma State. After playing the back nine, their first nine holes, in a collective 13-over, the Wonder Boys bounced back with a 3-over team score on the front nine. Jackson Cole’s 2-over 74 placed the All-GAC First-Team honoree in a tie for seventh. The Bulldogs’ Sutton McMillan joined Cole in the tie for seventh.
Southern Nazarene and Arkansas-Monticello shared sixth place. The Weevils’ Owen Page and T.J. Baker carded matching 4-over 76s, good enough for a tie for 13th. The Crimson Storm’s Sam Schmidt and Noah Kern ended in a tie for 18th.
Northwestern Oklahoma State and Southeastern Oklahoma State rounded out the team standings. The Rangers’ Pierce Geminden grabbed a share of 10th place following a 3-over 75.
Monday’s second round begins at 8:15 a.m. All men’s teams will start off of the first tee.
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