Gulf Coast holds early lead in MCC Invitational

By By Austin Bishop / EMG regional sports director
November 2, 2004
All five of Mississippi Gulf Coast's golfers fired rounds under 80 as the Bulldogs cut through a tough wind at Briarwood Country Club to take the first-round lead at the Meridian Community College Fall Invitational.
Cory Cooper fired a 73 to lead Gulf Coast and tie Meridian's Clay Jarrell for first-day medalist honors.
Allan Martel of Gulf Coast carded a 74, while teammate's Jeremy Lampley and Ciam Daly had 76s. Although only four scores count in the team total, Gulf Coast's Jake Jukarich rounded out Gulf Coast's domination with a 77.
Meridian Community College head coach Lou Hart was very impressed with Gulf Coast's team total of 299 on a course that was playing very long and very tough.
MCC fired a 305, six strokes behind the Bulldogs going into today's final 18-hole round.
Northeast Mississippi is third at 315 in the seven-team event.
Meridian had four golfers fire rounds of 77 better. Jordy Hayden and Matt Ellis had 77s, while Shane Murphy carded a 78. MCC's Shane Parker came in with an 80.
Northeast's Trae Belk nd MCC's Caleb Davis, who was playing unattached, had the next best individual rounds with 76s.
Cooper had an up and down round with his 73. He had five bogeys and four birdies. His first four holes went birdie, bogey, bogey, birdie.
Jarrell said he also could have gotten a little more out of his round. "I hit two par 5s pretty much in two and made a bogey on one of them. Besides that I played pretty good all day long."