It was a tale of two nines as the Hoosiers struggled early during Monday's first round at the Warrior/Wave Intercollegiate in Princeville, Hawaii, but fought back to end the day in a tie for ninth.
Collectively, the Hoosiers shot 13-over-par during the first nine holes, but it was their 2-under-par performance on the back nine that kept the leader, Georgia Southern (283) insight.
Senior Michael McGee had said the team needed to get off to a strong start but found himself struggling through the first nine holes, shooting a team high 3-over-par. He found his groove after making the turn as he fired a team low 4-under-par. McGee, who landed in a tie for 13th individually with a 1-under-par 71, is playing in second event since returning to the lineup after an illness sidelined him for about a month.
Corey Ziedonis recorded the Hoosiers second lowest score with 2-over-par 74. The senior's effort put him in a tie for 32nd in the individual standings. Ziedonis also struggled out of the gate with back-to-back bogeys on his second and third holes. He got a stroke back with a birdie on five but lost two on his next hole. He ended the round with two more birdies and a bogey.
Rounding out the team scoring for round one were senior Brant Peaper and junior David Mills with 3-over-par 75s. Peaper carded a bogey and double bogey on his front nine and an additional bogey along with his lone birdie coming on the back. Similarly, Mills recorded four bogeys and a birdie on Monday. His back nine, 1-over-par was one of two over-par scores during the second nine holes for IU.
The other was fellow junior Hugo Menendez who shot a 4-over-par to round out the Hoosier scoring. Despite having the second most birdies (4) on the team, it was the team high five bogeys and a double bogey that led to the team high 76.
Round two gets underway for the Hoosiers on Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. EST with the Hoosiers being paired with San Diego State, Fresno State and Hawaii. Menendez is the first off the tee for IU followed by Mills, Peaper, Ziedonis and McGee.