Brantley leads Senators atop leaderboard after opening round of East TN Collegiate

JOHNSON CITY, TN – Bowen Brantley was having an up-and-down start to his round when he approached the eighth tee on Monday in the East Tennessee Collegiate at Johnson City Country Club.

However, from the eighth-hole on, Brantley played lights out.

Brantley had a birdie and eagle to end his front nine and then shot five-under on the back-nine, finishing his round in first place with a seven-under, 65. He has a three-shot lead. 

Brantley led the charge for Walters State, as the Senators are in first place at 10-under following the opening round of the tournament. Walters State is one-shot ahead of UT Southern. 

Brantley birdied the third hole but bogeyed the fourth and seventh holes to move to one-over. Brantley then birdied the eighth, eagled the 503-yard par-five ninth and birdied holes 10, 12, 13, 15 and 18 on the back-nine. Brantley didn't have a bogey after the seventh-hole.

Along with Brantley, Sloan Brooks closed his round strong and sits in a tie for third-place at three-under. Brooks birdied the sixth and ninth holes on the front-nine and bounced back from back-to-back bogeys to start the back-nine with birdies on holes 13, 15, 16 and 18. 

Nick Talley and Blake Woody are both tied for 11th for the Senators at even-par, 72. Talley birdied the third, fourth and 16th holes, while Woody birdied the third, fourth and 13th holes. 

Rounding out the team was Jonas Rayfield, who is in a tie for 29th at five-over. Rayfield had birdies on the sixth and ninth holes. 

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Walters State will close out their time at the East Tennessee Collegiate on Tuesday at the Johnson City Country Club.