The event, which will be shortened to two rounds due to the weather, is currently led by Virginia Tech, which finished the first round with a team score of 290 to take a two-stroke lead over second-place Old Dominion and North Carolina.

Individually, Old Dominion's Geoffrey Harris was on top of the leaderboard after a 5-under-par 67 on Saturday. Harris leads East Carolina's Jonathan Hill and North Carolina's Ramon Bescansa by two strokes.

For the Bucs, sophomore Jeremy Hobson (Thonotosassa, Fla.) led the team with a 23rd-place showing after a 2-over 74. Fellow sophomores Chase Baldwin (Brandon, Fla.) and Cennydd Mills (Cardiff, Wales) were next on the ETSU squad, as Baldwin finished tied for 41st after a 4-over 76 and Mills carded a 6-over 78 that placed him tied for 54th. Seniors James Johnson (Barbados) and Adam Riddering (Maple Grove, Minn.) wrapped up the Bucs' first-round scoring, with Johnson tied for 67th with a 7-over 79 and Riddering struggling with a 76th place showing at 9-over 81. ETSU will complete play at the Birkdale Golf Course Sunday.

Birkdale Collegiate Golf Classic

Birkdale Golf Course (Huntersville, N.C.)
Dates: 03/15 - 03/16 (Today: 03-15-2003)
Par: 72; Yardage: 7,043