Robert Riesen led the defending conference champions with a five-under-par round of 67. John Wainwright and Taylor Allard contributed a pair of 73s and Eric Sheerin shot a 74 to complete the Patriot team score.
With the course set up at only 6,019 yards from the white tees, Patriot coach Sandy Sackmann said that Riesen and Wainwright hit either a 2- or 3-iron from many of the tees. Under the wet conditions, the players were permitted to lift, clean and place.
The Patriots posted three other scores in the mid-70s as Wes Schwenk and Brett Thrasher came in with 76s and alternate Christian Hazzard shot a 75.
“It was a good beginning,” Sackmann said. “But I don’t want us to get a big head. The other teams in the conference are going to shoot better than they did today. We have to remain focused and continue to improve.”
The match was originally scheduled to be played at Gates Four, but was moved because of better conditions at Bayonet. Next Monday’s match will be played at Gates Four instead of Bayonet.
The only scores by members of other teams that were lower than those by the seven Patriots were 72s by Scooter Buhrman and Forest Shufford of Jack Britt.
The team scores after Pinecrest and Jack Britt were Richmond County 323, Scotland County 332, Douglas Byrd 401, Seventy-First 430 and Hoke County 434. Westover had only three contestants and did not post a team score.
