McKINNEY, Texas – Reid Giardina led McNeese on the first day of the 2021 Southland Conference men's golf championships at the Stonebridge Ranch Country Club, shooting a 4-over par 76 while sitting tied for 15^th place on the individual leaderboard.
 
As a team, the Cowboys recorded a round of 316 and are in eighth place in the 11 team field but are just 20 strokes out of second place. Lamar leads the pack after shooting a 2-under 286, 10 strokes better than second place and 49^th-ranked Sam Houston who finished with a 296.
 
Abilene Christian is in third place with a 305 while Central Arkansas and Stephen F. Austin are tied for fourth at 309. The rest of the team leaderboard has HBU in sixth place at 310, then New Orleans 314, McNeese 316, Incarnate Word 318, Southeastern Louisiana 322 and Nicholls 327.
 
Following Giardina for McNeese is Trey Meadows who is tied for 21^st place with a 77, Jake Leatherwood with an 81, Theo Berger an 82 and Jack Hearn with an 84.
 
Lamar's Nikolai Schaffrath tops the individual leaderboard after shooting a 5-under 67.
 
Tuesday's second round will tee off at 7:30 a.m. but the Cowboys won't get started until 8:19 with Hearn going first. Berger will tee off at 8:28 followed by Leatherwood at 8:37, Meadows 8:46 and Giardina at 8:55. All five will start on the 10^th hole.