JONESBOROUGH, TENN. -- Senior Keller Harper (-5) fired an opening round 67 Friday to lead the Furman men's golf team at the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate at the par 72, 7,147 Blackthorn Club at the Ridges in Jonesborough, Tenn.

The Paladins (-11), which have four players among the top 19 after one round of play, are in third place after posting a 277 in the tournament's first round, the second-lowest team round in the history of the Furman men's golf program.  Furman tied with UNC Wilmington to lead the field with 21 birdies in Friday's round, while the Paladins' cumulative score of ten-under on the par-5s (4.50 average) paced all teams in the first round.

Harper, who hails from Atlanta, Ga., posted his third-consecutive round under par.  He notched three-straight birdies from No. 2 through No. 4 then added a birdie on No. 8 to turn at four-under.  A final birdie on No. 18 capped the round for Harper, who enters Saturday's round tied for fourth, just two strokes back of N.C. State's Benjamin Shipp (-7), who led the field with a 65 on Friday. 

Freshman Reynolds Lambert (+4) notched a team-high six birdies in round one, scoring a 68 to tie for eighth, and freshman Ross Funderburke (-2) posted a 70 with five birdies to tie for 19th.  Junior Jack Crosby (E) is tied for 39th after shooting an even 72 with four birdies on Friday, and freshman Walker Crosby (+4) recorded a 76 with a birdie on No. 4 to tie for 68th.  

No. 23 Tennessee (-15) leads the tournament by one stroke over eighth-ranked Louisville (-14).  Furman sits in third, followed by UNC Wilmington (-8) and N.C. State (-8), which are tied for fourth. 

Furman will tee off of No. 1 beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday in the second round of the 54-hole tournament and will play in a group with Tennessee and Louisville.  Admission is free and fans are welcome.  Results and live tournament scoring are available via www.FurmanPaladins.com and www.golfstat.com.

3 Furman 277 -11

T4 Keller Harper 67 -5

T8 Reynolds Lambert 68 -4

T19 Ross Funderburke 70 -2

T39 Jack Crosby 72 E

T68 Walker Crosby 76 +4