State sports briefs

ASU teams lead Bubba Barnett tournament

The Arkansas State University men completed the first two rounds of their annual home tournament, the Bubba Barnett Intercollegiate, with a pair of squads sitting in first and second place among a 14-team field, and nine players among the top25 individuals at the RidgePointe Country Club in Jonesboro.

Led by sophomore Matthew Cole, the Red Wolves team in first place posted a first-round score of 273, a tournament record, followed by a second-round 276 to record a 36-hole 549. The Arkansas State squad in second place carded a firstround 282 followed by a second-round 283 to end the day with a combined 565. The teams enter today’s third round separated by 16 strokes.

Third-place Tennessee-Martin shot a 575 and fourth-place Oral Roberts finished with a 576.

Cole ended the day tied for first with Southern Illinois’ Peyton Wilhoit after shooting a 137. Cole recorded a first-round 66 before posting a second-round 71.

Arkansas Tech fifth at Argonaut

The Arkansas Tech University men combined for a 566 after the first two rounds of the Argonaut Invitational on Monday in Pensacola, Fla., putting the Wonder Boys in fifth place going into today’s final round.

Tech’s Shawn Tsai shot a team-best 6-under 138 and sits in a tie for sixth with four others. West Florida’s Chandler Blanchet leads with a 12-under 132.

Arkansas Tech opened with a 279, the second-lowest round the Wonder Boys have carded this season. Ryan Spurlock led the way, shooting a career-best 4-under 68, which is tied for the third-lowest round that any Tech golfer has shot this year. Spurlock also shot a team-high six birdies in the first round. Tsai followed right behind Spurlock as he completed the first round with a 3-under 69.

West Florida leads the field with a 554, followed by Delta State at 556 and Limestone College at 563.