SILVIS, Ill. — The University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma shot a 1-over par 281 today to take first-round lead at the 74th Annual NAIA Men’s Golf National Championship at TPC Deere Run.
The Drovers lead by seven strokes over second-place Hastings (Neb.) and nine strokes over third-place Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) and Oklahoma City entering Wednesday’s second round.
Jaeden Ellis and Jaxen Brewer each carded 2-under par 68s to help USAO take the lead in the program’s first-ever trip to the national championship. Ellis finished the first round with six birdies while Brewer added four birdies to sit tied atop the leaderboard with Oklahoma City’s Carter Ray and Victoria’s (B.C.) Owen Croft.
The quartet leads by one shot over four more players at 1-under par.
While Ellis and Brewer set the pace for the Drovers, it was their teammate Conner Cryer who provided some late-round separation. Cryer birdied his last three holes to push the USAO lead to near double digits. He ended the day at 1-over par 71, in a tie for 13th place.
Hastings posted a team-total 288. Taiki Sugawara paced the Broncos today with a 1-under par 69.
Lindsey Wilson — the defending national champion — has three players inside the top 25, including Polakrit Pawichai in a tie for 13th after posting a tournament-best 15 pars in the opening round. Ray led Oklahoma City after carding four birdies in his opening round.
Grand View (Iowa) is in fifth place with a team-total 291.
The second round begins at 7 a.m. CT on Wednesday.
Following tomorrow’s second round, the top 15 teams and ties and the top six individuals not on a top-15 team advance to the third and fourth rounds. The final round is scheduled for Friday, May 15.
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