Feb. 21, 2011

HOUSTON - Louisiana Tech head coach Jeff Parks had high hopes for his team for the first spring tournament of the year but the Bulldog golfers struggled during the opening two rounds of the Rice Intercollegiate hosted at Westwood Golf Club.

Tech shot nine-over-par 297 on its opening round and then came back during the afternoon to shoot 10-over-par 298 to finish 19-over-par through 36 holes and in 12th place out of 15 teams.

Florida Gulf Coast shot 10-under-par 566 to pace the field followed by Wichita State (569), New Mexico State (570), Texas State (571), UL-Monroe (576), Houston (577), Rice (577), UTSA (579), Nebraska (582), Bowling Green (583), Missouri State (592), LA Tech (595), Miami (OH) (596), Oral Roberts (602) and Houston Baptist (612).

Sam Forgan led the Bulldogs in day No. 1 shooting a one-over-par total of 145 followed by Clinton Shepard (150), Jack Lempke (151), Jonathan Bale (151) and Travis Wilmore (155).

The Bulldogs will complete the 54-hole event with a Tuesday morning round.