STATE COLLEGE, PA. – Bluefield State College shot a 13-over-par 301 to lead the 18-team United States Collegiate Athletic Association National Championships after round one on Monday in State College, PA.
The Blues hold a 16-stroke lead over SUNY Canton and a 20-stroke lead over defending champion Cleary University. They have three golfers in the top seven headed by Blake Hash who is in second at one-under-par 71. Kirk Collins sits in fifth place at two-over 74, while JT Lester sits in seventh at 76. With the round of 301, equals the fourth lowest round in the USCAA National Championship event.
Leading the tournament individually is Kevin Kim of Berea College who shot a two-under 70 over the 6,686-yard, par-72 course. His round equals the fifth lowest in tournament history. The rounds of Kim and Hash were two of only 11 under-par rounds in the USCAA Championship in the last six years.
After Hash, Nolan Reid is in third from SUNY Canton at even par 72 and Nick Engelman of Penn State Lehigh Valley is fourth at one-over par 73. Rounding out the top five is Collins from Bluefield State.
Completing the top five in the 18-team, 109-person event is Berea College (323) and Apprentice School (327).
The final round is scheduled to tee off on Tuesday morning with a 9 am shotgun start on the Penn State University Blue Course.