Monday, May 17, 2021
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – The GNAC field will have some catching up to do after the opening round of the NCAA Division II National Championships at the Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Montana State Billings senior Garrett Woodin is competing as an individual after placing third at the West/South Central Regional on May 6-8 at The Home Course in DuPont, Washington. He became the first-ever player in program history to compete at nationals.
Woodin led the GNAC field in the first round, finishing in a six-way tie for 45th place with a score of 7-over-par 79. He opened the tournament with a birdie on the par-four first hole and then birdied three more times on the par-three fifth, par-four eighth and par-five 10th holes.
Saint Martin’s is the lone team representing the GNAC at nationals after placing second at the West/South Central Regional on its home course. The Saints sit in 16th place out of 16 teams after the first round with a score of 337.
The Saints’ top performer on Monday was junior Max Turnquist, who sits in a six-way tie for 51st place with a score of 8-over-par 80. Turnquist had five bogeys on the front nine but bounced back to shoot par on the first six holes of the back nine. His round ended with a birdie on the par-five 18th hole.
Junior Nick Baker is in a seven-way tie for 63rd place at 10-over-par 82 while senior Tyler Fitchett is tied for 77th place with Luke Palmowski of Rogers State at 87.
Arkansas Tech owns a four-stroke lead heading into Tuesday’s second round with a score of 295. Freshman Santiago De La Fuente paced the Wonder Boys as he finished the round tied for first place with Ian Trebilcock of Washburn at 1-under-par 71.
Former Concordia Cavalier Jaxson Daskalos is in a five-way tie for fourth place at 1-over-par 73 to lead second-place Georgia Southwestern. Daskalos was a First Team All-GNAC selection in 2019-20.
Second-round action begins on Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. (EDT). The Saints are seven strokes back of 15th-place Fayetteville State.