VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State men's golf team opened the 2024 Gulf South Conference Championship with a 294 score on Monday at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club in Valdosta.  West Florida leads the ten-team field with a 6-under 282 on the par 72, 7,377-yard course, while the Blazers sit fourth.
 
Lee University sits second at 1-under 287, followed by Montevallo at 293, one stroke ahead of VSU and Union rounds out the top five with a 296 score.  West Georgia sits sixth at 298, followed by Delta State, (300), Shorter (306), Mississippi College (311) and Christian Brothers is tenth at 323. 
 
Individually, West Florida's Cooper Tendick leads the field opening with a 5-under 67, while there is a tie for second between West Georgia's Oliver Persson-Toiminen and West Florida's TJ Thompson at 3-under 69.  Montevallo's Harrison Hughston and Lee's George Cordall are tied for fourth at 2-under 70.  Overall, seven players shot under par for the opening round and an additional four were at even par, including Blazer junior Brandon Cho and freshman Alexander Nilehn who are tied for eighth.  Both Cho and Nilehn carded three birdies and three bogeys on Monday. 
 
Blazer junior Chase Long is tied for 20^th with freshman Adam Waller as both opened with 75s.  Sophomore Ty Folsom is tied for 25^th with a 76 heading into Tuesday's second round.
 
Check back with vstateblazers.com for links to live stats for the second round on Tuesday beginning at 8:30 a.m.   VSU will begin the round at 9:20 a.m. off the back nine, playing with Union and West Georgia.  Wednesday's final round also is set for an 8:30 a.m. start.