BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Rasmus Karlsson fired a 1-under-par 71 in the second of two rounds Monday at the Shoal Creek Invitational hosted by Alabama-Birmingham to lead the University of South Alabama men's golf team on the opening day of the event.

The sophomore was one of four individuals in the Jaguar lineup to improve their score in the afternoon, concluding first-day play with a 148 36-hole total.  As a unit, South lowered its group score by 12 strokes the second time around the course — posting a 294 figure — but is 12th in the team standings with a 600 total entering Tuesday's final round.

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Event (host): Shoal Creek Invitational (Alabama-Birmingham)
Date: 9/25
Course: Shoal Creek Country Club (par 72, 7,400 yds)
Live scoring: http://results.golfstat.com//public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=participants&tid=13831

TEAM SCORES
1) Wake Forest 285-282—567 (-9); 2) Notre Dame 285-286—571; 3) Alabama-Birmingham 287-285—572; 4) Liberty 282-291—573; 5) Ole Miss 296-280—576; 6) Georgia Southern 295-283—578; 7) North Florida 290-289—579; 8) Kennesaw State 295-285—580; 9) Memphis 301-281—582; 10) Chattanooga 289-297—586; 11) Troy 293-299—592; 12) South Alabama 306-294—600.

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
1) William Walker III, UAB 64-71—135 (-9); 2) Braden Thornberry, OM 71-66—137; T3) Paul McBride, WF 71-68—139; T3) R.J. Keur, UAB 72-67—139; T5) Hunter Ostrom, ND 69-72—141; T5) Steven Fisk, GS 71-70—141; T5) Jake Fendt, KSU 70-71—141; T5) Phillip Knowles, UNF 70-71—141; T5) Cameron Young, WF 69-72—141; T10) two individuals with 142.

SOUTH ALABAMA SCORES
T37) Rasmus Karlsson 77-71—148 (+4); T47) Sylas Elliott 76-73—149; T51) Jason Mendel 75-75—150; T62) Brooks Rabren 78-75—153; T66) Stephen Wall 79-77—156; 71) Peter Staalbo* 84-77—161.
*denotes competed as an individual

TEE SHOTS
-Karlsson is the first Jaguar to record multiple scores below par this fall after opening with a 68 at the team's first tournament of the season.
-All but one of Karlsson's team-high six birdies came in the second round, and he is among the top 10 in the field with a 3-under-par score on par-five holes.
-Sylas Elliott was 1 under on the course's par threes, which placed him among the top 10 individuals in the tournament.
-Jason Mendel led the squad with 25 pars on 36 holes; the senior was 1-under par on the back nine of the course in the first round after recording two his three birdies on Nos. 13 and 17.
-The tournament field includes 12 teams and 71 individuals.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Ben Hannan
On what contributed to the team's improved score in the second round: "As we started in the second round, the set up featured the same pins and the wind went down so the golf course was playing easier, which gave the guys an opportunity to get a little more aggressive and try to capitalize on some of the good shots they were hitting."
On Rasmus Karlsson's second-round performance: "Rasmus got off to a good start and was under par most of the day, and he was able to get up and down from the bunker on No. 11 — which was toward the tail end of his round — to close with a 1-under par.  It was good to see him bounce back after opening with 77."
On the team's approach and goal on Tuesday: "The goal is to start and play some competitive golf and to compete.  For us, it's a one-round tournament and we want to go out and try to win that tournament."

Up next: The last round of the tournament will begin from slip tees at 7:30 a.m. (CDT) on Tuesday

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Birdie Club — the men's golf specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. All donations to the Birdie Club go directly to support the South Alabama men's golf program. For more information on how you can join visit:  jaguarathleticfund.com/birdieclub.

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