LAS VEGAS — It was a slow start for No. 2 Auburn men's golf as the Tigers opened the Southern Highlands Collegiate in a tie for 10th overall following a 1-under team showing Sunday at Southern Highlands Golf Club in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Auburn collected a pair of subpar rounds from freshman Jackson Koivun and redshirt-junior Carson Bacha. Koivun shot 70 (-2), and Bacha finished one stroke higher at 71 (-1). Junior Brendan Valdes shot even par (72). Sophomore Reed Lotter and senior J.M. Butler struggled to find their rhythm early and finished the day with a 74 (+2) and 76 (+4), respectively.
The Tigers have a chance to respond and climb the leaderboard in Monday's middle round. Butler is set to lead off the 10-minute tee intervals at 11:20 a.m. from hole 10. Auburn will play with Missouri and Arizona State.
