ECU Completes First Round At AAC Championships

SARASOTA, Fla. – East Carolina shot an opening round 289 (1-over) and currently is in eighth place after 18-holes at the 2025 American Athletic Conference Championships. The three-day, 54-hole event is being played at the Ritz-Carlton Members Club (par 72, 7,292 yards). Second round action begins Tuesday morning for the Pirates starting at 8:30 a.m. (ET).

Freshman Holden Rucker leads the Pirates and is tied for 12th overall after posting a 2-under par 70 (36-34). The Greenville, N.C. native carded four birdies, two bogeys and 12 pars during opening round action. Sophomore Nathan O'Neal is tied 14th following his 1-under par 71 (36-35) that included six birdies, two bogeys, one double bogey and nine pars.

Senior Carter Busse is tied for 24th after carding a 1-over par 73 (37-36), while fellow classmate Tyler DeChellis is tied for 36th with a 3-over par 75 (39-36). Rounding out the roster is junior Philip Linberg Bondestad, who is tied for 46th with a 4-over par 76 (39-37).

USF, who is ranked No. 33 nationally, leads the team portion of the event sitting at 9-under par (279) followed by Memphis (283/5-under) and No. 44 Charlotte (284/4-under). Rounding out the top five are North Texas (285/3-under) in fourth, while there is a three-way tie for fifth with Rice, UTSA and Florida Atlantic (288/even par).

2025 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MEN'S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
Team Standings (Through Round 1)
1. USF: 279 (-9)
2. Memphis: 283 (-5)
3. Charlotte: 284 (-4)
4. North Texas: 285 (-3)
T5. Rice: 288 (even)
T5. UTSA: 288 (even)
T5. Florida Atlantic: 288 (even)
8. East Carolina: 289 (+1)
9. UAB: 291 (+3)
10. Wichita State: 292 (+4)
11. Temple: 299 (+11)

Players Mentioned

Philip Linberg Bondestad

Carter Busse

Tyler DeChellis

Nathan O'Neal

Holden Rucker

Footer