The Ohio Valley Conference Golf Championship favorites were expected to run away from the field, but surprising schools and unknown names are at the top of the leaderboard.

The men attacked Burningtree Golf Course in Decatur, Ala. with 16 players at par or better and 16 under par scores on the easier back nine.

Austin Peay sophomore Justin Metzger is leading the way by shooting a 4-under-par 68. The Lenoir City, Tenn., native shot a consistent set of nine-hole rounds by posting an even weighted 34-34.

“He was a little tight to start out,” APSU coach Kirk Kayden said. “We were a little jumpy as a team but finally settled down by the back nine, where they played much better.

Another sophomore in contention for medalist honors is Eastern Kentucky’s Clay Ballard, who rebounded from his opening nine 37 to shot a back nine 32 and card a 3-under-par 69. Ballard is tied with Morehead State freshman Lee Chaney.

Defending champion Matias Anselmo never could get his momentum rolling as the Jacksonville State senior came home with an even-par 72. The 2002 champion Robert Dinwiddie nearly lost his hopes of a second title if he hadn’t saved his tournament in the final nine holes.

Dinwiddie was in the bottom third of the total standings when he played the opening nine at 3-over-par 39 but managed to salvage a decent score of 74 due to a 1-under-par 35.

The team championship will likely be a new winner as the defending champion, and 2005 favorite Jacksonville State was disappointing leaving day one in eighth place. The Gamecocks are 11 strokes behind first-place Samford and eight behind Austin Peay.

The Governors are in good position as the young team; they only had Metzger in red figures but managed to still shoot a 2-over par, 290. Austin Peay is looking to win its fourth title in five years.

The last place EIU Panthers’ highest individual finisher was Kyle Awerkamp (41-34-75) who is tied for 29th.

The Murray State Lady Racers also have work to scramble the next two days in order to win its fourth consecutive conference title.

Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State are tied at the top after posting a 321 with the surprising Eastern Illinois in third position and ready to strike. Murray State is 20 strokes behind in sixth.

Racers favorite Nikki Orazine kept her end of the bargain by posting a 76 and only being four strokes off the lead.

Jacksonville State junior Shanelle Howell leads the way with an even-par 72 as the African native shot the only under par nine-hole round when she carded a back nine 34.

The Panthers were led by senior Dale Morris (40-38-78) who stands in sixth with Samantha Makovec (44-37-81) in ninth with Jackie Bodis and Amy Simons in the Top 20 as well.