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Furci Tied for Lead, Weather Forces First Round to Finish Tuesday
PALM HARBOR, Fla. - A three-hour delay and inclement weather didn't bother sophomore Michael Furci as he currently sits in a tie for the individual lead. Heavy rain in the Tampa area on Sunday morning delayed the BIG EAST Championship and as the sun set over the Gulf of Mexico three teams were still finishing their first rounds. The DePaul contingent was able to get its round completed and Furci led the way with a career-best score of 69. His two-under round of 69 marked the best round by a DePaul golfer in BIG EAST Championship play. Previously, Greg Doherty tallied the lowest round score by a Blue Demon with a 70 in the first round of the 2007 league championship. He bogeyed the first hole before eight straight pars and a 37 on the front nine. Furci birdied three holes on the back nine including a three on the par-four 18th hole to finish at two-under. Furci holds the lead in the clubhouse, but is technically tied at two-under with Seton Hall's Troy Spencer. Spencer holds a two-under score through 12 holes. Connecticut's Matt Dubrowski is third with a first-round score of 70. Cincinnati, Georgetown and Seton Hall will complete their respective first rounds prior to beginning second-round action on Monday. Following Furci is Greg Doherty in a tie for 40th and Ben Westley in a tie for 47th. Doherty shot a 77 while Westley opened his tournament with a 78. Charles Boucher and Russell Budd each finished with an 80 in the opening round and sit in a group in 52nd place with the first round to be completed on Monday morning. DePaul is tied for ninth with Villanova among the 12 BIG EAST schools competing with a team total of 304.
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