Alabama Men's Golf Can't Hold Early Lead, Slips Back at NCAA Championships

The Crimson Tide finished the first round at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. at +10.

Alabama Athletics

At one point, the University of Alabama men's golf team had a share of the early lead at the 2023 NCAA Championships on Friday afternoon. 

But with the course getting faster in the desert heat as the day progressed, the Crimson Tide struggled over its final nine holes and fell back to the middle of the 30-team pack. 

The 15th-seeded team will start Saturday's second round in roughly that same spot, tied for 17th, at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. (Par 70, 7,289 yards). 

Alabama was at +10. It was 10 strokes off the lead as Georgia Tech's even-par score in the morning held up. No teams playing in the afternoon shot better than +2. 

Three days of stroke play the the top 15 teams will advance to a final day of stroke play on Monday. The top eight teams will advance to match play after the fourth round. The team national champion will be determined by a match-play format that will consist of quarterfinals and semifinals on Tuesday, May 30, and the finals Wednesday.

Florida State was in eighth place at +4. 

Individually, Canon Claycomb, JP Cave and Jonathan Griz were all at +2, tied for 47th place. Nick Dunlap was +4, and Thomas Ponder +5. 

Midway through the first round Alabama was tied for the lead with No. 18 Mississippi State at -1. The Bulldogs were at +11 and still playing when the Crimson Tide wrapped up play. 

Alabama will play with the same group, Texas A&M (+9)and Virginia (+10) at 9 a.m. Saturday. 

This story will be updated.

SEE ALSO, Live Updates: Alabama Men's Golf in NCAA Championships (Stroke Play)