HEBER SPRINGS, Ark. – The Delta State men's golf team was tied for fourth place at the end of the first day of the Natural State Golf Classic, hosted by Harding University.

As a team, the Statesmen shot 300 during the first day of the event Monday, 16 shots over par and 15 strokes behind leader North Alabama, which collectively shot 1-over-par.

Seth McBrayer led Statesmen linksters with 3-over-par-74, which tied for 14th place at the end of round one. Delta State teammates Chase Smith and Austin Smithers were not far behind as they both carded 75s, which tied for 17th place.

Jordan Breaux and Collin McCrary each shot 5-over-par-75. Since only the top four scores are count toward a team's score, only one of the 75s figured into the Delta State totals.

Casey Patterson shot a 78 and Andrew Simons carded an 80 during the first round for the Statesmen.

The Statesmen were seven shots back of third-place Arkansas Tech, which tallied a score of 293 in the opening round. Henderson State's 7-over-par-291 was good for second place, six strokes off the lead.

Arkansas-Fort Smith was tied with Delta State for fourth place. Southern Arkansas, Arkansas-Monticello and Harding were tied for sixth after recording team scores of 309, nine strokes behind the Statesmen and 25 strokes over par.

The Statesmen will conclude the tournament Tuesday.