GREENVILLE, Ala. – The ABAC Stallion golf team finished the first day of the Southern States Athletic Conference tournament at the RTJ Golf Trail at Cambrian Ridge here Tuesday.
 
The Stallions carded a +16 after the first round, leaving only a few strokes behind several teams in front of them. Faulkner University and defending NAIA national champion Dalton State College were tied for the lead at even-par.
 
In third place was William Carey at +7, followed by Loyola (La.) at +8, Tennessee Southern at +10, Point University at +13, Blue Mountain Christian at +14, ABAC, the University of Mobile at +19, and Brewton-Parker at +42.
 
ABAC's lowest round of the day went to Whit Hayes. The junior from Thomasville shot a 2-over-par 74, putting him in a tie for 17^th in the individual standings. Also scoring for ABAC were freshman Wheeler Ryan (+4, tied for 21^st), Stewart Rustin and Sebastian Gonzalez (+5, tied for 27^th), and Alex Hays (+10, tied for 48^th).
 
Faulkner's Rodolphe Cicala leads the individual standings after firing a 6-under-par 66. Dalton State's Barrett Loftis and Loyola's Cameren Bruce are one shot off the lead.
 
Hayes shot a 37 on the front nine, including an eagle on the par-5 seventh hole. He started the back nine with a pair of bogeys before settling in to go 1-under par on the last seven holes. Ryan, a freshman from Valdosta, was in position to tie Hayes for ABAC's lowest round of the day before a double bogey on the 18^th hole.
 
Second round action will begin at 8:30 a.m. CST Wednesday. The tournament will conclude with a third round on Thursday.