ST. SIMONS ISLAND, GA – Sophomore Ryan Bozard fired a season-low, two-under-par 69 round on Thursday (March 13) to lead Francis Marion to a ninth-place standing after the opening round of the Peoples Championship at Sea Palms Resort.
 
The three-day, 54-hole event is being hosted by Western Carolina University on the par-71, 6,664-yard layout at the Sea Palms Resort.  Each round features tee times off both the front and back nine, with both a morning and afternoon wave for a true "Tour experience".
 
Bozard's round included two birdies and an eagle on the 484-yard, par-5 fourth hole.  The Hollywood, S.C., native is tied for 12th in the players' standings.
 
Senior Xavier Schwarz equaled his season-low round of 70 and is tied for 18th.  Junior Pake June, sophomore Josh Dugard, and freshman Leander Neuhaus all shot rounds of 74 and are among a group tied for 65th position.
 
Francis Marion registered a 287 team scored and is tied with Marshall University and Long Island University, 19 strokes back of first-place UNC Greensboro.   Davidson College is second, 10 strokes ahead of the Patriots.
 
Live scoring is available online through Leaderboard King (leaderboardking.com).