NEED TO KNOW:
Piedmont Leader: T-25th FRED ROBERTS IV (73) +2
As a Team: T-8th of 43
Event Information: 43 teams; 221 golfers
The Course: Mission Inn Resort (Las Colinas Course; Par 71 - 6,792 yards)

HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS, Fla. - The No. 12 Piedmont men's golf team finished strong on Tuesday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida.

Playing the Las Colinas Course on Tuesday, the Lions began the day on hole No. 10 and got off to a slow start before a solid finish on their second nine and are tied for eighth place after round one.

The Lions were able to break 300, posting a 13-over 297 team score, five strokes better than the team's 302 it posted in the opening round of the NCAA Preview this past fall.

FRED ROBERTS IV led the Lions on Tuesday, with a solid 2-over 73 with three birdies. Roberts IV was 2-over when he made the turn but birdied the 1st (his 10th hole of the day) and the 5th on his way to an even par 35 on his closing nine.

JOSH HEBRINK mirrored Roberts, coming home with an even par 35 on his closing nine to deliver a 3-over 74 for his round with just one double bogey costing him on No. 16.

Steady senior MICHAEL CLARDY delivered an outstanding 3-over 74 as well, making a pair of birdies on the back nine to help the Lions from the No. 5 spot in the lineup.

The biggest fireworks of the day came from ERIC PENLAND, who made an eagle at the par-5 5th before closing his round with a birdie at the 9th to post a 76 as the final counting score for the Lions.

Carnegie Mellon leads after the first round with a 287 (-1) as a team with Huntingdon College in second with a 287 (+3) and Methodist University rounding out the top three at 292 (+4).

Carnegie Mellon's William Knauth is on top of the individual leaderboard after a 69 (-3) on day one.

Up next, the Lions are set to tee off at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, playing the El Campeon Course.