No. 1 Bulldogs lead even after horrid start

SAUCIER — Five holes into the first round of the MGCCC Fall Invitational, you had to scroll down the leaderboard to find the host team, No. 1 Mississippi Gulf Coast.

All the way down. Last place.

By the end of the second round after sunset, the Bulldogs were tied for first.

"If you draw up the perfect start and look at the absolute opposite of it, that's kind of how we got going today," Gulf Coast coach Brad Thornton said. "It's a little bit of pressure hosting at your home course. The guys really turned it around and locked in. The played some outstanding golf down the stretch to give us a chance tomorrow."

The Bulldogs showed intestinal fortitude after playing the first five holes at 14-over, going 12-under the next 31 to tie No. 6 Central Alabama. Those two teams are 18 shots ahead of Jefferson State. The teams will finish the tournament Tuesday with 18 holes here at Windance Country Club.

John Mark Mills (So., Pontotoc/Mike Bender Golf Academy) led the Bulldogs at 1-under. He's two shots back of Central Alabama's Jackson Spybey.

Ludvig Behring (So., Sollentuna, Sweden/Osterakers Gymnasium), who shot a second round-best 3-under, is tied for fourth at 1-over, and Stanley Campbell (So., London, England/Essex Golf College) is tied for eighth another shot back. Peyton Russell (So., Gautier/Gautier) is tied for 15^th after shooting 1-under in the second round.

 "John Mark made a few putts today, and also he'll tell you he left a few out there," Thornton said. "But finishing as one of only two players under par, it says he had a pretty solid day especially when conditions might have been a little tough."

Gulf Coast's B team, which only had four players, is tied for eighth. Garner Seymour (So., Biloxi/Biloxi) is tied for 18^th, and Grayson Lockhart (Fr., Starkville/Oak Hill Academy) is tied for 20^th.

Central Alabama and Jefferson State play in NJCAA Division I. Gulf Coast is the defending Division II national champion. There are eight other MACCC schools in the field for the non-conference event, with No. 8 Meridian in fourth place at 23-over.

The 17 teams will tee off starting at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. Gulf Coast will be looking to get off to a better start, but Monday's rocky start doesn't look as bad in the rear-view mirror.

"That's just golf. That happens sometimes," Thornton said. "If you spread it out over 36 holes and don't see it happen over the first five, it goes overlooked. I think it almost helped us lock in a little bit more and relax. I feel like the guys are going to respond well tomorrow."

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