BROOKSVILLE, Fla. – A hot early start for Houston carried through the opening day on Friday at Southern Hills Plantation Club in the first round of the 2022 American Athletic Conference Men’s Golf Championship.
 
Houston paced the field on day one thanks to a team score of 10-under-par 278. SMU was just off the team pace at 282 (-6). Nathan Petronzio led the individual draw by one shot with a 4-under-par round of 68 to outpace four players at 3-under 69.
 
The average score on the breezy first day of play at Southern Hills Plantation Club was 73.27 over the 45 completed rounds. A total of 15 of the 45 players in action in round one finished at par or better, including 12 under par showings.
 
Houston remained at the top of the leaderboard through most of the first round thanks to strong play throughout its lineup. Austyn Reily and Marcus Wochner tied for second overall with matching 3-under 69s, and Alexander Frances and Jacob Borow contributed showings of 70 (-2) to give the Cougars the day one advantage.
 
SMU climbed into second place thanks to the opening 68 by Petronzio. Ollie Osborne played his final three holes in 3-under-par to tie for sixth with a first-round 2-under 70, and Noah Goodwin checked in 1-under after a 71. Justin Thompson chipped in a 73 to finish 1-over for the Mustangs.
 
Defending champion South Florida checked in with a 286 total for solo third place at 2-under-par. Reigning American medalist Albin Bergstrom rolled in five birdies to share second place at 3-under 69. Run Youprayong tied for 12th place at 71 (-1), and Luke Gifford (72) and Sam Nicholson (74) adding countable rounds for the Bulls.
 
Wichita State opened strong with a 1-under-par round of 287 to tie for fourth place. Dawson Lewis led the Shockers with a 2-under-par 70 to tie for sixth place, followed by Joe Bultman with a 1-under round of 71 (tied for 12th). Brock Polhill added an even par 72 and Lucas Scheufler a 2-over-par 74 to score for Wichita State.
 
UCF matched Wichita State at 287 to tie for fourth place at 1-under. Teddy Tetak and Egor Eroshenko paced the Knights with matching 2-under-par rounds of 70 to tie for sixth, and Johnny Travale (73) and Clement Charmasson (74) chipped in countable UCF rounds.
  
The second round of the 2022 American Men’s Golf Championship is scheduled to begin on Saturday at 8 a.m. (ET), with tee times off the first hole. Cincinnati, Temple and East Carolina will compose the initial pairings of the day.