CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- Senior Keller Harper (-1) fired an opening round 71, tying for 15th to lead the Furman men's golf team in the first round of the 2019-20 season at the Golfweek Conference Challenge at the par 72, 7,068 yard Cedar Rapids Country Club in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 

Harper, who teed off of No. 10, recorded consecutive birdies on No. 14 and No. 15 to turn at 2-under.  He notched a final birdie on No. 6 to conclude the day with a 1-under 71, five strokes back of Zan Luka Stirn (-6) of Arkansas State, who led the field at 6-under on Sunday. 

Furman freshmen Reynolds Lambert (+2) and Ross Funderburke (+2) are tied for 45th after each recorded a 74 in the first round.  Lambert, who eagled the par-5 No. 6, added a birdie on No. 2, while Funderburke scored birdies on No. 6 and No. 15.  Freshman Walker Crosby (+3) shot a 75 with a birdie on No. 6 to tie for 59th, and junior Jack Crosby (+4) posted a 76 with birdies on No. 6 and No. 13.

The Paladins, who are tied for 11th, scored an eagle and four birdies on No. 6 and tallied two birdies on No. 15.  

Ball State (-9) led the field with a 279 on Sunday.  Iowa (-5) sits four strokes back in second place, while Campbell (-4) is in third after the opening round.  Arkansas State (E) holds fourth place, and UMKC (+1) and Jacksonville State (+1) are tied for fifth. 

Furman will tee off of No. 10 beginning at 9:25 a.m. CT on Monday in the second round of the 54-hole tournament and will play in a group with Drexel and San Jose State.  Admission is free and fans are welcome.  Results and live tournament scoring are available via www.FurmanPaladins.com and www.golfstat.com.

T11 Furman 294 +6

T15 Keller Harper 71 -1

T45 Reynolds Lambert 74 +2

T45 Ross Funderburke 74 +2

T59 Walker Crosby 75 +3

T69 Jack Crosby 76 +4