LAKE POWELL, Fla. (SMU) –
Will Sides leads the field by two strokes at the ACC Championship after one round of play. As a team, the Mustangs hold fifth place.
Needing a spot in the top eight after three rounds to advance to match play quarterfinals, the Mustangs carded an even par round. They climbed from 11
th midround to fifth place by the end of the day. They are just three shots off of second place and are three shots clear of the last advancing spot. The Mustangs are in front of seven nationally-ranked teams.
Fresh off a victory at the Lewis Chitengwa Memorial, Sides again paces the field, this time after one round of play. He was one-over through his first five holes before birdieing four of his next six holes to bring him under par, at -3. The Tulsa, Oklahoma native birdied his final three holes to jump into first place two strokes clear of the next closest competitor.
With another stellar round, Sides set the record for rounds of par or better in a season with his 24 of 2025-26, breaking a tie with Bryson DeChambeau (2013-14) and Max Buckley (2011-12). He lowered his season-scoring record from 69.55 to 69.43, a half stroke lower than the next best Mustang season (Noah Goodwin, 70.00 in 2020-21). He moved his career scoring average to 71.08, just 0.04 behind Goodwin for the lowest by a Mustang. His last five rounds have been 67 or lower.
Ben Steinmann had another strong round with a four-under 68. He sits in a tie for second place after a five-birdie day. He lowered his season scoring average to 71.48, the lowest ever by a Mustang freshman. He's carded par or better in 10 of his last 13 rounds.
Gabe Post shot four-over, 76, to sit in a tie for 51
st.
Zachary Kingsland shot a 78 to hold 64
th and one shot back
Christian Clark carded a 79 to sit in 69
th.
The Mustangs return for Friday's round two beginning at 8:22 am CT. They will be paired alongside golfers from Louisville and NC State.
TEAM LEADERBOARD
1 Stanford -13
2 Wake Forest -3
3 North Carolina -2
4 Georgia Tech -1
5 SMU E
6 NC State +1
7 Louisville +2
T8 Clemson +3
T8 Virginia +3
T8 Florida State +3
11 California +6
12 Duke +8
13 Notre Dame +11
14 Virginia Tech +17
15 Boston College +22
SMU LEADERBOARD
1
Will Sides -6
T2
Ben Steinmann -4
T51
Gabe Post +4
T64
Zachary Kingsland +6
T69
Christian Clark +7
ROUNDS OF PAR OR BETTER SEASON
1. Will Sides, 2025-26 24
2. Bryson Dechambeau, 2013-14 23
Max Buckley, 2011-12 23
4.
Zachary Kingsland, 2023-24 22
Nathan Petronzio, 2022-23 22
Kelly Kraft, 2009-10 22
Franklin Hatchett, 2000-01 22
Kelly Kraft, 2010-11 22
Will Dodson, 2004-05 22
Franklin Hatchett, 2001-02 22
Noah Goodwin, 2021-22 21
12. WIll Sides, 2024-25 21
Will Sides, 2023-24 21
Bryson Dechambeau, 2014-15 21
Hank Kuehne, 1997-98 21
Kelly Kraft, 2007-08 21
Hank Kuehne, 1996-97 21
18.
Zachary Kingsland, 2025-26 20
Colt Knost, 2005-06 20
Will Dodson, 2003-04 20
SCORING AVERAGE (MIN. 15 ROUNDS) (SINCE 1993-94)
1. Will Sides, 2025-26 69.55
2. Noah Goodwin, 2020-21 70.00
3. Mac Meissner, 2019-20 70.44
4. Bryson Dechambeau, 2013-14 70.46
5. Noah Goodwin, 2021-22 70.58
6. Noah Goodwin, 2019-20 70.60
7. Bryson Dechambeau, 2014-15 70.61
8.
Zachary Kingsland, 2024-25 70.79
9.
Zachary Kingsland, 2023-24 70.90
10. Nathan Petronzio, 2022-23 70.91
11. Justin Thompson, 2019-20 70.93
12.
Will Sides, 2024-25 71.15
13.
Will Sides, 2023-24 71.31
14. Mac Meissner, 2020-21 71.46
15.
Enrique Dimayuga, 2024-25 71.48
Mac Meissner, 2018-19 71.48
Ben Steinmann, 2025-26 71.48
18.
J. Holland Humphries, 2023-24 71.67
19. Mac Meissner, 2017-18 71.82
20. Kelly Kraft, 2009-10 71.85
Individual Career Scoring average (Since 1993-94)
1. Noah Goodwin, 2017-2022 71.04
2.
Will Sides, 2022-25 71.08
3. Bryson Dechambeau, 2013-16 71.15
4. Mac Meissner, 2017-21 71.41
5.
Zachary Kingsland, 2022-25 71.50
6 Nathan Petronzio, 2021-23 72.08
7. J. Holland Humprhies, 2022-24 72.30
8. Kelly Kraft, 2008-11 72.34
9. Will Dodson, 2003-06 72.75
10. Colt Knost, 2004-07 72.80
