Bulldogs, Slade lead field after first day of NEC Golf Championships

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Senior McKinley Slade (Saunderstown, R.I.) fired a 3-under 69, as the Bryant University golf team opened the 2017 Northeast Conference Championship atop both the team and individual leaderboards.

With a first-round score of 296, the Bulldogs will take a nine-stroke lead into Saturday's second round, with Fairleigh Dickinson finishing Friday's round in second at 305 followed by Robert Morris in third at 307. Defending champion Wagner sits eighth after a first-round score of 314. Slade leads the individual field after the first lap, one stroke ahead of Saint Francis U.'s Brandon Mihalo and LIU Brooklyn's Daniel Reale.

Under hot and muggy conditions at LPGA International's Hills Course, Slade used a birdie on the sixth hole and eagle on the par-5 eighth to sit one under par at the turn. On the back nine, Slade carded birdies at No. 10, No. 12 and No. 15 to finish three under for the round.

Teammate Ryan Tombs (Bedford, N.H.) was excellent around the green all day, as the senior was two under par through the front nine and finished the round just two over with a round of 74, good for seventh-place overall.

Senior John Roberts (West Hartford, Conn.) carded a 76 (+4) while freshman Will Del Biaggio (San Jose, Calif.), competing at his first NEC Championship, finished with a 77 to give Bryant four golfers in the top-18 on the overall leaderboard. Sophomore Ryan Brown (Bedford, N.H.) rounded out the scoring on the day, finishing tied for 29th with an 82.

Bryant finished with 10 birdies on the day, second only to Robert Morris's 11.

The tournament will continue with the second round on Saturday, with the Bulldogs scheduled to tee off at 10 a.m. The nine-team championship will conclude on Sunday.