O’Neal in front after first round of eGolf tournament at River Hills in Lake Wylie

The eGolf Gateway Tour returned to Lake Wylie for the seventh annual River Hills Classic, at River Hills Country Club.

Greer’s Josh O’Neal blistered the course in his opening round, shooting a 64 with the help of an eagle and six birdies, including a 40-foot putt on the 17th.

“I didn’t hit the ball all that great today, but I kept it below the hole, which is pretty key on this course,” said O’Neal, who finished the round with just 24 putts. “Yesterday I didn’t make many putts, but today I obviously did.”

The course, while short by modern standards, has proven each year to be one of the most grueling on the tour’s rotation, with some of the fastest greens and narrowest fairways the game’s up-and-coming stars face on an annual basis. At just 6,780 yards and a par of 72, the 1969 Willard Byrd design looks measurably short on the scorecard, but plays as without doubt one of the five most arduous courses in the greater Charlotte area.

“There are not many relaxing shots at River Hills,” said eGolf Gateway Tour president David Siegel. “If you put the ball in play off the tee, you are more than likely looking at a short-iron approach to an undulating green. Even with a wedge in your hand, you can make bogey just as easily as birdie. For the golf connoisseur who claims the game is getting too easy for the pros, this is a great week.”

The recently-formed eGolf Gateway Tour is a Charlotte, NC-based professional tour that was the joint venture of the former eGolf and All-American Gateway Tours. The tour features approximately 20-24 professional tournaments annually in the states of North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, paying out over $18 million in prize money since 2009.

In its 10-year history, the tour saw the likes of Billy Horschel, Chesson Hadley, Tommy Gainey, Scott Brown, Roberto Castro, Tom Gillis, Jason Kokrak, Brian Harman, Will MacKenzie, Jason Bohn, Steve Marino, Matt Bettencourt, William McGirt and others ascend to the PGA TOUR.

Previous winners include Roberto Castro, Brice Garnett, Chris Baker, Bruce Woodall and Ethan Tracy.

“River Hills is one of our premier events year in and year out,” Siegel said. “The golf course is immaculate, and the greens are phenomenal with the Bermuda grass thriving in the dead heat of summer. This week should make for yet another great finish and deserving champion.”

O’Neal hopes that can be him this year. He graduated from North Greenville in 2014 but has struggled with a back injury. Time away from the game helped him sort out a herniated disc. Recent work with teacher Kevin Schreel put O’Neal back into form, trending towards a trustworthy fade and away from a career-long draw.

“I was kind of fed up with my shot shape, and I wanted to change that,” he said. “Today was the first round where I put that into play and it worked out well – hopefully I can build on it tomorrow. If I can keep it up, we’ll see what happens.”

River Hills Classic

River Hills Country Club

Par 72; 6,780 yards

First-Round Results

1 Josh O'Neal Greer, SC 33-31--64 -8

T2 Ryan Nelson Charleston, SC 33-33--66 -6

T2 Bruce Woodall Yanceyville, NC 34-32--66 -6

4 Kevin McLister Charlotte, NC 32-35--67 -5

T5 Thomas Bass Wilmington, NC 32-36--68 -4

T5 T.J. Howe Osceola, PA 33-35--68 -4

T5 Paul Apyan Cleveland, TN 35-33--68 -4

T8 Sam Beach Glen Allen, VA 34-35--69 -3

T8 Christian Brand Charleston, WV 31-38--69 -3

T8 Brandon Smith West Palm Beach, FL 34-35--69 -3

T8 Mark Kriston Clemmons, NC 35-34--69 -3

T8 Jesse Hutchins Kirkersville, OH 35-34--69 -3

T8 Chip Lynn Lillington, NC 36-33--69 -3

This story was originally published August 5, 2015 at 8:40 PM with the headline "O’Neal in front after first round of eGolf tournament at River Hills in Lake Wylie."