Lobos in Ninth After One Round of NCAA Regional

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. –– The New Mexico men’s golf team opened play at the NCAA Palm Beach Gardens Regional on Monday with the opening round at PGA National. The Lobos shot 10-over during the first round and are in ninth place after 18 holes, four shots out of the fifth and final qualifying spot.

Third-ranked Vanderbilt shot 3-under and is the only team in the field under par after one round. South Florida is at 2-over, Notre Dame is 4-over and Davidson is fourth at 5-over. Florida and College of Charleston are tied for the final qualifying spot at 6-over, followed by Little Rock at 7-over, Florida State at 9-over and the Lobos at 10-over.

Sam Choi led the Lobos on Monday with a 2-under 70 in the first round, as he is one of just nine players in the field to shoot in red figures in the first round. Bastien Amat shot 74 on Monday, while Matthew Watkins shot 76, Brandon Shong shot 78 and Carson Herron rounded out the lineup with a 79.

“Sam shot a great round today,” said head coach Glen Millican. “To bounce back from a double bogey on his second hole and shoot 2-under is a great job. The course is playing pretty tough and there is plenty of time for us to make up some ground.”

The tournament continues Tuesday and concludes Wednesday at PGA National. The top five teams at the event will advance to the NCAA Championships, held later this month in Scottsdale, Ariz.