Alabama in 10th Despite Opening Day Total of 5-Under Par at the SEC Match Play Hosted by Jerry Pate

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Alabama men’s golf team carded a team score of 5-under par 563 (284-279) during Monday’s opening day of the SEC Match Play hosted by Jerry Pate, played at the Country Club of Birmingham course. Despite its subpar score after 36 holes, the Crimson Tide will enter the third and final round of stroke play in 10^th overall, six strokes back of the top-six teams.

The 14 SEC teams are competing in 54 holes of stroke play – 36 holes Monday followed by 18 Tuesday – with match play coming on Wednesday. The top two finishers from stroke play will square off in the final groupings of the day to determine the tournament champion, with the 12 other teams squaring off in East vs. West Match Play format.

Admission for fans is free throughout the tournament with live scoring available via Golf Genius.

Gallery: (9-25-2023) 09-25-23 MGO SEC Match Play

Day One Highlights

• Nick Dunlap leads the way for the Tide in 10^th position overall after carding a two-round score of 7-under par 135 (70-65)
• Canon Claycomb also shot under par for the day, ending play in a tie for 21^st with a 4-under 138 (71-67)
• Jonathan Griz is in a tie for 49^th at 2-over par 144 (70-74), while Thomas Ponder is two strokes back in a tie for 58^th with a 4-over 146 (73-73)
• JP Cave rounded out the Crimson Tide with a 159 (77-82)
• Dunlap led the team with nine birdies while Claycomb had eight on the day

Meet your starting 5?? for the SEC Match Play Event hosted by Jerry Pate ??

Tournament begins at 8:30 a.m CT ?

?? Live scoring: https://t.co/YiLu8ZhdkC#RollTide pic.twitter.com/d8m267JWii

— Alabama Men’s Golf (@AlabamaMGolf) September 25, 2023

The Field

• No. 6 Auburn (-30) owns a two-stroke lead over Arkansas (-28) – two of five teams to finish the day at least 20 shots below par
• No. 3 Vanderbilt (-23) is in third overall, followed by No. 17 Texas A&M (-20) and No. 24 Ole Miss (-20) who are tied for fourth entering Wednesday’s final round of stroke play
• The 14-team field features nine teams in the nation’s top-25, including three in the top 10: No. 3 Vanderbilt, No. 6 Auburn and No. 8 Florida
• Other ranked teams in the field include No. 12 Tennessee, No. 13 Alabama, No. 17…