Release courtesy of Franklin & Marshall Athletic Communications
HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS, Fla. -- Franklin & Marshall finds itself tied for 16th place after the first day of the NCAA Division III Championship. Playing on the par-71 Las Colinas Course at Mission Inn Resort and Club, the Diplomats fired a team score of 303 (+19) on Tuesday.
F&M finished towards the top of the standings with 51 pars on the day, while carding six birdies and an eagle. The Diplomats tied for the sixth-best mark on Las Colinas, while the tournament leader Carnegie Mellon shot a 288 (E) to pace the field on the El Campeon course - where F&M will play during tomorrow's second round. Coming in to the tournament as the 46th ranked team in the nation, the Diplomats are one of the biggest surprises after the first day.
Jas Fuhrer leads the Diplomats, shooting a 74 (+3) to place him tied for 37th on the leaderboard. Fuhrer shot an even-par 35 on the front nine, including a trio of birdies. The junior finished one-under on par-4s, with all three of his birdies coming on those 11 holes.
Shane Lawler finished a single shot behind Fuhrer in the standings, shooting a 75 (+4) on the day to finish tied for 54th. After shooting three-over on the front, Lawler carded a birdie on the par-4 12 to help guide the way to a one-over finish on the back nine. The first-year shot just one-over on par-4 and par-5 holes to stay within striking distance.
Dominic Sculti ended the day with a 76 (+5), largely on the back of an eagle on the par-5, 485 yard fifth hole to lead him to a one-over 36 on the front nine. Sculti sits in a tie for 70th to open the tournament.
Roy Anderson and Michael Gallagher finished a shot apart, with Anderson carding a 78 (+7) and Gallagher finishing with a 79 (+8). Anderson put together a string of eight straight pars to open his round, finishing two-over at the turn. Gallagher finished off his day with a birdie on the par-5 563-yard 18th hole to round out the F&M field.
After starting off early in the first round, the Diplomats will tee off in the afternoon on Wednesday paired with Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Washington & Lee. Dominic Sculti starts things at 12:35, followed every ten minutes by Michael Gallagher, Shane Lawler, Roy Anderson, and Jas Fuhrer.