March 7, 2008

Live Results at Golfstat.com.

Freshman Matthew Giles and sophomore Jamie Lovemark each fired 3-under 69s to pace the No. 7 USC men's golf team, which- spanning two tournaments - spent its fourth consecutive day in first place after the first round of the UNLV Southern Highland Collegiate at Southern Highlands G.C. in Las Vegas on Friday (March 7).

The Trojans, who led wire-to-wire en route to winning its own USC Collegiate Invitational earlier this week, finished the first round in Sin City at a collective 3-under 285, three strokes ahead of host UNLV (288) and second-place UCLA (288).

Giles, who was second at the USC Collegiate, carded his fourth round in the 60s in his last seven tries, a 69 that included four birdies, three on a 3-under back 9. Lovemark matched the four-birdie total, going out in 1-under, coming back at 2-under. Lovemark and Giles are tied for third, one stroke back of leaders Matt Kissinger (UNLV) and Jonas Enander Hedin (Charlotte).

Joining Giles and Lovemark in the red was sophomore Rory Hie, who birdied to open and close his day of work with only one bogey in between. Hie, tied for 11th, is after his fourth straight top 10 finish.

Junior Tom Glissmeyer and freshman Tim Sluiter, who was the individual winner at the USC Collegiate, are tied for 43rd at 4-over 76.

Play continues Saturday and Sunday at 8 a.m. each day.