TEXARKANA, Ark. — Chad Sewell is tied for the individual lead and No. 44 UTSA is atop the team standings after the opening round of the Conference USA Championship, which teed off on Monday at Texarkana Country Club (par 72/6,969 yards).
Sewell fired a 4-under-par 68, tied with UAB's Khavish Varadan for the low round of the opening day, to help lead the Roadrunners to a 5-under 283. UTSA stands three shots ahead of No. 33 Charlotte (286) with North Texas (288), Louisiana Tech (289) and Southern Miss (290) making up the rest of the top five in the 13-team field.
Sewell recorded five birdies during his opening-round 68, which matched his collegiate best, with three coming as part of a 3-under 33 on the back nine. It marked the ninth par-or-better scorecard of his senior season and the Conroe, Texas, native now owns five sub-70 rounds during his UTSA career.
A pair of Roadrunners joined Sewell with par-or-better rounds, as Hunter Bott fired a 2-under 70 to grab a share of fifth place and Collin Clark posted an even-par 72 for a tie for 15th with 36 holes left in the stroke-play competition.
Bott notched the sixth par-or-better round of his sophomore campaign on the strength of 14 pars and a trio of birdies, all coming as part of a 2-under 34 on the back. The Montgomery High School product is two shots off the pace set by Sewell and Varadan.
Clark's 72 was headlined by three birdies, including on his first two holes of the day, the 400-yard, par-4 first and 501-yard, par-5 second. The "super senior" from Mansfield, Texas, now has posted par-or-better scorecards five times this year.
Christian Fanfelle turned in UTSA's other counting score in the first round with a 1-over 73 that featured five birdies. The junior from San Antonio is in a tie for 20th in the 65-player field.
Michael Rome rounds out the lineup in a tie for 49th (77).
The second round is set for Tuesday and the Roadrunners will tee off from No. 1 starting at 9:20 a.m.
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