Russell’s 66 leads No. 1 MGCCC to lead

No. 1 Mississippi Gulf Coast played a golf course they weren't really familiar with in Monday's first round of the Hinds Invitational, and the Bulldogs got around the course in fine fashion.

They shot 288 on Castlewoods Country Club in Brandon to lead Jones by four shots and Northeast Mississippi by 18.

"A team score around even-par was what I kind of envisioned as being a solid day," Gulf Coast coach Brad Thornton said. "We left some shots out there, especially at the finish. I thought we could have picked up three or four more, but I was very pleased with 288. It's a great team score today."

The course played firm, and Thornton said his squad showed a lot of discipline off the tee. He said their mental preparation paid off, and mistakes were a matter of execution and not bad decisions.

Peyton Russell (So., Gautier/Gautier) led the way for Gulf Coast with a stellar 6-under 66. He leads Jones' Drew Grocost by two shots and teammate Ludvig Behring (So., Sollentuna, Sweden/Osterakers Gymnasium) by six. Behring is tied with Jones' Sebastian Nowak for third.

John Mark Mills (So., Pontotoc/Mike Bender Golf Academy) is tied for ninth at 2-over, joined there by Garner Seymour (So., Biloxi/Biloxi), who is playing as an individual. Harlan Yerger (Fr., Oxford/Oxford) and Stanley Campbell (So., London, England/Essex Golf College) shot 4-over to tie for 15^th.

"Peyton did a really good job of giving himself scoring opportunities and got his putter rolling," Thornton said. "He'll tell you even shooting 66, he probably left two or three shots out there. That tells me he's moving in the right direction."

No. 10 East Central is sixth, and No. 8 Meridian is eighth. Tuesday's second round will be a 9:30 a.m. shotgun start at 9:30.

For more information on MGCCC's 12 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.