Monday, April 20, 2015

COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho – Simon Fraser finished as the only team under par as it leads after the first two rounds of the 2015 GNAC Championship Presented by the Coeur d’Alene Resort Monday.

Five SFU golfers combined for 19 birdies, including three on the third hole, to end the first day of competition at 10-under par. The Clan will take a 23-stroke lead heading into the last 18-holes of competition Tuesday.

The top three spots individually are all held by the Clan, led by junior Bret Thompson who shot a 68 and 67 in the first two rounds to finish 7-under par. Thompson needs to shoot a 73 or better tomorrow to break the GNAC course record while SFU will break the tournament record with a 292 or better. The Clans 277 first round score was the second lowest in GNAC championship history.

The Clans John Mlikotic and Chris Crisologo are second and third, respectively at 3-under and 2-under par. Last years tournament champion, SFU’s Kevin Vigna, also finished in the top five carding a 71 and 73 in his first two rounds.

The rest of the field has seven top-10 competitors as Northwest Nazarene, Western Washington and Saint Martin’s are all within six strokes of each other.

NNU’s Connor Magnuson finished day one tied for fifth at 144, leading the second-place Crusaders who carded a 581 as a team.

Western Washington, who is led by Mark Strickland’s two-round score of 141, is just one stroke behind at 582.

Two Saints enter day two in the top eight, including Patrick Whealdon who is tied for eighth after a second-round 71.

Montana State Billings is fifth at 594, but the ‘Jackets Austin Berg is tied for fifth with a two-round score of 144.

The men’s third, and final, round will tee-off at 8 a.m.