Posted: Apr 26, 2015

Bulldogs lead by 9 at Region 23 Tournament

Mississippi Gulf Coast is again in the driver's seat in the NJCAA Region 23 Championship, shooting 3-over Sunday at Laurel Country Club for a nine-shot lead over Meridian.

The Bulldogs' entire five-man team finished in the top nine, led by George Kawell's 2-under 70. Teammate Grant Motter is one stroke back, and East Mississippi's Hunter Harmon is another shot behind at even.

Kawell got to 4-under through 12, but then made triple bogey and 14 followed by bogey on 15. But he picked his game back up, making birdie the next two holes to get to 2-under.

"He has really come a long way from where he was in the fall. He's learning," Gulf Coast coach Tommy Snell said. "He hits the ball a long way. He's the John Daly of our team. He's learning to take advantage of his length, and when not to try it."

Motter had a yo-yo round, with an early double bogey canceled out by an eagle on No. 5. He bogeyed the eighth hole, then picked up two birdies to get under par. Bogeys on 12 and 13 put him back at 1-over, but he, too, birdied 16 and 17 to get in the red.

"I never worry about Grant because he's such a solid player," Snell said. "Even though he made a couple bogeys early, he's the type of player who keeps plugging along. When he starts making putts, he goes crazy."

Phillip Hickam and Danny De Los Santos are tied for sixth at 3-over, and Conner Entriken finished 4-over.

"To shoot 75, 76 is a good round on this golf course," Snell said. "It's hard. You can tell because there aren't many good scores out there."

The second and final round is today. The winning team advances to the NJCAA Tournament next month.

Gulf Coast, which is aiming for its eighth consecutive Region 23 title, shot a 291, followed by Meridian (300), East Mississippi (311), Copiah-Lincoln (312) and host Jones County (350).

"We just have to do the same thing again tomorrow," Snell said. "I know it's cliché, but it's always one hole, one shot at a time."

Complete scores can be found at http://www.golfstatresults.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=team&tid=7341

Team scores

Gulf Coast 291 (+3)

Meridian 300 (+12)

East Mississippi 311 (+23)

Copiah-Lincoln 312 (+24)

Jones County 350 (+62)

Gulf Coast scores

1.George Kawell 70 (-2)

2. Grant Motter 71 (-1)

T6. Phillip Hickam 75 (+3)