STOCKTON, Calif. – Midwestern State is in a three-way tie for 12th place at 5-over 293 following the first round of the NCAA DII West/South Central Regional at The Reserve at Spanos Park. The Mustangs trail the leaders from Western Washington by 10 strokes, and they are six strokes behind a group of four teams tied for sixth place. The top six teams at the conclusion of the 54-hole tournament advance to the finals at Boulder Creek Country Club in Boulder City, Nevada, later this month.

Seth Bearden is in a 10-way tie for 19th place on the individual leaderboard after shooting 1-under 71 on Thursday afternoon. Bearden is five strokes behind the leader, Liam Weaver of Cal State San Marcos, who shot 6-under 66 in the opening round.

Bearden got to 2-under with his third birdie of the day on the 535-yard, par 5 16th hole but dropped back to 1-under with his second bogey of the day on the 467-yard, par 4 17th hole. 

The Mustangs are tied with Vangard and Chico State, trailing Simon Fraser and Colorado Mesa by four strokes for 10th place in the 20-team field. 

Anniston McIlwain and Ryan Griff both shot 1-over 73 in the first round, and they are in a group with 16 other players for 40th place at the 7,082-yard links style course. McIlwain led the team with four birdies. Griff had a birdie on each side of the course and was bogey free on the back nine.

Midwestern State was tied for third in the opening round with 59 pars. Griff and Bearden each finished the day with 13 pars.

Chase Kisver shot 1-under on the par 3s and finished his first round with two birdies en route to a 4-over 76, which has him in a tie with seven other players for 82nd place.

Nathan Nelson had one birdie during his first round. He went out 3-over and came in 4-over. His 7-over 79 has him tied with Max Cocoran of Simon Fraser in 104th place with two rounds to play over the next two days.

Midwestern State will begin its second round on Friday afternoon at 2:30 with Chase Kisver teeing off. Bearden will be the last Mustang to start his second round at 3:10 p.m.