Alabama Takes Midday Lead During First Round

At 2007 USGA Men's State Team Championship

The Woodlands, Texas – Alabama, led by a 5-under 67 from Will Swift, took the lead midway through the first round Tuesday at the 2007 USGA Men’s State Team Championship, being played at the par-72, 7,190-yard Fazio Course at the Club at Carlton Woods.

Alabama paired Swift’s 67 with a 1-over 73 from teammate Steve Hudson to finish with a 4-under 140 to lead by one stroke over Oregon. Alabama’s third team member, Talbert Griffin, shot a 4-over 75 that did not count toward the team score.

“You don’t want to shoot yourself out of it, and I feel like we’re definitely in it,” said Swift of Alabama’s strong start.

Swift and Hudson were also members of the Alabama team that finished second in 2005. That year, Alabama was tied for 10th after the first round and tied for fifth after the second round. Hudson’s final-round 66 helped lift Alabama to its runner-up finish.

Getting off to a good start was important for the Alabama team, which felt it snuck its way toward the top a little two years ago.

“Last time we felt like we were chipping away, trying to get into the top five on that last day, then we almost came out on top,” said Hudson. “It’s nice to get off to a good start here.”

Oregon, which is trying to improve upon its previous best finish of tied for ninth in 2001, was bolstered by a 2-under from Tim Sundseth and a 1-under from Adam Hagen. Oregon was the only team to have more than one player finish under par.

All three Oregon players, Sundseth, Hagen and playing captain Brandon Kearney, whose 78 did not count toward the team’s total Tuesday, are playing in their first USGA Men’s State Team.

“You can’t win the tournament on the first day but you can definitely lose it then,” said Hagen. “So I’m pretty pleased with our position.”

Ohio, which received a 2-under from Wes Homan, and Utah, which received a 2-under 70 from Kirk Siddens, both finished the first round two strokes behind Alabama.

Defending champion and host state Texas and 2003 winner Tennessee teed off Tuesday afternoon, along with the other 24 remaining teams.

The Men’s State Team championship is one of the national championships conducted by the United States Golf Association. Fifty-two teams, from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, are entered. In each of the three, 18-hole stroke play rounds, the two lowest scores by players from each team constitute the team score for each round. The 54-hole total is the team’s score for the Championship, which is conducted by the United States Golf Association.

Story written by Beth Murrison of USGA Media Relations. E-mail her at bmurrison@usga.org with questions or comments.