LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Junior Randall Hudson led the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's golf team with a first round five-under-par (67) as the Spartans finished Monday's action at the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship's Las Vegas Regional with a share of fifth place. The three-day regional is taking place at Bear's Best Las Vegas, hosted by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
 
Hudson stood in a tie 14th through the first round by posting six birdies throughout his round. The junior carded an unblemished front nine with a birdie on the par five, 529-yard second hole and the par five, 599-yard eighth. Hudson gathered steam on the back nine with four birdies in six holes. During the stretch, Hudson birdied both par fives, a par four, and a par three throughout the stretch as the junior completed the back nine three-under-par (33). 
 
Symon Balbin posted two of UNCG's tournament-leading five eagles as part of his four-under-par (68) first round effort. The senior also carded four birdies on the day. Balbin posted back-to-back birdies on the second and third holes as part of a one-over-par (37). With a five-under-par (31) on the back, Balbin surged with a pair of birdies and a pair of eagles on the side. Balbin eagled both back nine par fives and added a birdie before each eagle. After a birdie on the par four, 340-yard 11th hole, Balbin eagled the par five, 507-yard 12th. After converting on a birdie on the par four, 416-yard 16th hole, Balbin added another eagle on the par five, 537-yard 17th. Balbin finished in a tie for 19th place.
 
Nick Lyerly stood two shots behind Balbin with a two-under-par (70) scorecard. The graduate student totaled three birdies and one eagle. Unlike his teammates, Lyerly converted eagle on a par four after exiting the hole without using the putter on the 411-yard tenth hole. Lyerly collected birdies on the par four, 398-yard sixth hole and the eighth. As part of a two-under-par (34) back nine effort, Lyerly collected his second par five birdie of the day at the 507-yard 12th hole.
 
UNCG finished the round in a three-way tie for fifth place with Davidson and Oklahoma State at 12-under-par (276). All five UNCG golfers shot under par for the back nine, helping the Spartans surge from a share of ninth place to a tie for fifth. The Spartans stand four shots behind East Tennessee State in fourth place. Arizona State holds the first round lead at 26-under-par (262).
 
INSIDE THE SCORECARD

• Balbin's five-under-par effort on par five holes tied for the second-lowest score in the field.
• Balbin was also one of four golfers in the field to post a multi-eagle scorecard.
• UNCG as a team finished even-par on par three holes, good for a tie for fourth place.
• Lamb and Hudson finished par three holes at one-under-par, the fifth-best effort on par threes in the field.
• UNCG's field-leading eagle count stood one ahead of Northwestern in second place.
• The Spartans finished the round with 21 birdies and 46 pars.

UP NEXT
The Spartans continue with second round action tomorrow morning, starting the round on the 10th hole at 8:00 a.m. PDT, 11:00 a.m. EST. UNCG will be paired with ETSU and Oklahoma State.