Eastern men’s golf team wilted in the Texas sun during the first round of the Bearcat Classic Monday.

The Panthers struggled out of the gate finishing 16th out of 17 schools involved during the 36-hole first round of the 54 hole tournament. Eastern finished the day 71 strokes over par and 51 strokes behind leader Oklahoma City University.

The tournament was hosted by Sam Houston State University at the par-71 Waterwood National Golf Course which is rated as one of the toughest in the country.

The course showed its teeth by yielding only three rounds in the 60s, all coming during the morning eighteen holes.

The only Panther to break 80 in the morning session was junior Kyle Awerkamp, who put up an 8-over-par 79. The other four Eastern players averaged a morning score of 85.5. Eastern’s low total score came from freshman Dustin Sloat. The Charleston native finished tied for 36th after shooting a 14-over-par 156 (81-75).

The most surprisingly disappointing Eastern performance was by senior captain Dave Rella who struggled to finish the day tied for 88th place at 29 strokes over par (88-83-171).

After the morning round, Oklahoma City sophomore Yashin Ali took the clubhouse lead after firing a current tournament low 3-under-par 68. Ali held a one-stroke advantage over teammate junior Tyrone Van Aswegan and Yale junior Neel Williams.

In the afternoon session, the scoring average of the top ten players grew by nearly a stroke per player.

Ali and Vanswegen came back to the field after shooting a 74 and 75. Western Illinois sophomore Sandy McClintock shot consecutive 71’s to tie for the first round lead with Ali. The player who made the biggest move up during the afternoon was Oral Roberts junior Lyle Patton. The Swedish-born fired a 1-under-par 70 which raised him into the top 10 after posting a opening 78.

The player who fell the most after lunch was freshman Taylor Palmer, who finished the morning six behind after a 74, but ended the day with a disappointing 83 and toppled to a tie for 39th.

Going into the final 18-hole round Tuesday, eight players are within five shots of the lead. However, team event is OCU’s to lose by ended Monday with a 20-over-par 588 and hold a five stroke lead over Western whose two strokes ahead of Sam Houston State.

Eastern will look to pull itself farther away from the cellar as the Panthers are five strokes out the tie for 12th place between Oakland University and Army.