CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL

PALM HARBOR, Fla. - The 2019 American Athletic Conference Men's Golf Championship teed off at the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort on Sunday morning and saw SMU jump out to the team and individual lead.

SMU fired a 1-over 285 in the first round which is the fourth-lowest first round score in American Championship history.

It is a tight field at the top as SMU has just one-stroke lead over Memphis (2-under, 286). USF (6-over, 290) is just five strokes off the pace while Temple and UCF are tied for fourth with 7-over, 291's.

The Mustangs were led by Mac Meissner who fired a 5-under 66 to lead the 50-player field. Meissner's score ranks as the lowest first round score in championship play and in four seasons at Copperhead. It also is the third-lowest mark ever, topped by only UConn' Zack Zaback in 2016 and SMU's Bryson Dechambeau in 2015, who set the mark with 64's at Black Diamond Ranch.

Meissner with paired with USF's Albin Bergstrom as the No. 1's for the two top-ranked teams and did not disappoint. A strong back nine by Meissner put him in front but Bergstrom fired a 2-under 69 to place second on the day. Bergstrom's 69 is just the fifth first round score under 70 in championship play at Copperhead (four years).

It's a crowded field at the top of the individual leaderboard as well with 10 players at even-par or better.

UCF's Bobby Bai and Kyler Tate, along with Memphis' Bard Bawden and Wichita State' Yannick Emmert are all tied for third after carding 1-under, 70's.

Just behind are Temple's Trey Wren and Gary McCabe, UConn's Nick Harrington and Wichita's Zac Owens at even-par, 71.

28 players are within three strokes of par or better.

Temple (Wren and McCabe), UCF (Baie and Tate) and Wichita State (Emmert and Owens) each boast two players in the top-10 after round one.

Memphis put all of its scorers in the top-11 of the standings but could not overcome Meissner's strong start for SMU.

Round two tees off at 7:30 a.m. tomorrow, April 22, at Copperhead.