SUNSET BEACH, N.C. - The Bridgewater College men's golf team opened the spring season at the Pfeiffer Spring Invitational in a big way as the Eagles topped the leaderboard after the first round of play and Brandon Washburn held first with an impressive –3 at Ocean Ridge Plantation Monday afternoon. 

The Eagles jumped out to a hot start to begin the season opener. In the first round, Brandon Washburn carded an astounding 69 (–3) through the first 18 holes and finished the day four strokes ahead of the second-place finisher.  

Washburn nailed three birdies on holes 12, 14, and 15 to position him well in the player leaderboard and managed to stay even at par for all remaining holes.  

The next finisher for the men was Will Layton who also landed a strong score after one round of golf. Layton shot a birdie on No. 8 and No. 18 to keep his numbers considerably lower than most of the field. He saw bogeys on five holes and played the course confidently to take eighth place in a two-way tie with a +3.  

In an eight-way tie for 14th place was Walker Gillespie and Jayden Hendricks. Gillespie and Hendricks both carded a +5. Gillespie stayed competitive through the more challenging holes with five bogeys but stepped up on No. 8 with a birdie and stayed in the top-15.  Hendricks recovered after a double bogey on No. 6 to also score a birdie on No. 8 and was even at par for 12 holes.  

The final finisher for the Eagles was Jackson Baugher, who ended the day with a +7 and a three-way tie for 23rd place. Baugher scored a birdie on No. 9 and stayed competitive through 18 holes.  

The Eagles return for round two tomorrow, March 3 at Ocean Ridge Plantation.