The Eastern Illinois men’s golf team finished the first round on the verge of a Top 10 finish for the first time this season in the Belmont invitational.

Eastern freshman Dustin Sloat led the team by posting his collegiate career-low round of even par 71. The Charleston native was on his way to shooting his first collegiate career under-par round as his made the turn at 2-under par but wilted coming home by finishing with a 38. However, the early rain provided players with soft scoring conditions which explains why Sloat is currently tied for 15th place and five strokes behind the leader.

Everybody is chasing Mercer junior Jason Henley who fired a 5-under-par 66. Henley’s front nine 33 put him one behind Southeast Missouri sophomore Matt Hillis and Austin Peay senior Richie Head. However, Henley leapfrogged the pair by shooting another 33.

Head had the most disappointing back nine, as the Governor fell from tied for the lead to tied for 15th after finishing with a back nine 39.

The biggest mover on the back nine was Samford senior Andy McRac, who redeemed his 37 by shooting three-under-par on the back nine and ended the day tied for 11th place with a 1-under-par 70.

Henley will be paying close attention Tuesday to the rounds of many players in close pursuit, including Florida Atlantic’s Matt Anderson, as the Owls senior sits one stroke back and was only one of six players to shoot two consecutive under par nines.

The one player to watch Tuesday could be Jacksonville State junior Nick Mackay, who carded a 3-under par 68 and recently won the last event he entered.

The individual championship is far from over, as going into Tuesday’s final round, 21 players are within five strokes of the lead.

Mercer University exploded out of the gate to post the only under par team round of the day (3-under par) and leads Florida Atlantic by three strokes.

Mercer had three players shot even par or better, and all four qualified scores were 26th or better.

The teams currently in 2nd through 7th place are all within nine strokes of the lead, with the leader board showing Jacksonville State in third, followed by Austin Peay, host Belmont, SEMO and Sanford.

Eastern finished the day in 11th place and will be five shots out of ninth when the Panthers tee it up Tuesday morning. The downfall of Eastern was the fact that Sloat finished as the only Panther in 43rd place or higher.

The only three scores Eastern used were junior Kyle Maxwell’s 4-over-par 75, sophomore Ryan Lambert’s 5-over-par 76 and senior Matt Holmes’ one behind with a 77. Panther junior Kyle Awerkamp struggled to card a 10-over-par 81.