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PAWLEY'S ISLAND, S.C. – Playing a combined 10-under-par, Campbell leads the Golfweek Program Challenge by nine strokes after Sunday's first round.
Campbell's men shot a 16-under 272 to hold a three-stroke lead over Jacksonville. The Campbell women carded a six-over 290 and are tied for second place with Jacksonville State behind Boston College (283).
The 54-hole event, which includes a women's stroke play tournament at Caledonia Golf & Fish Club and a men's tourney at True Blue Plantation continues through Tuesday. Jacksonville State's men (-7) and women (+6) are second (-1) in the 16-team combined tournament, while Boston College (+1) is third.
Under the direction of head coach John Crooks, Campbell is seeking its fifth combined title (and second in a row) in the six-year history of the event. CU has won the women's tournament three times (2012, 2013, 2015), while the Camel men are seeking their first victory at the event since winning the inaugural Program Challenge.
On the men's side, junior Thomas LaMorte and freshman Max Theodorakis played bogey-free golf and sit among the top five individuals on the par-72, 6982-yard True Blue layout. Campbell recorded the third-lowest round in the school's Division I era, just five shots off the record 267 the team posted last year at the Old Dominion/OBX Collegiate at the par-71 Kilmarlic Golf Club in Powell's Point, N.C.
LaMorte, a native of Demarest, N.J., who won the New Jersey Amateur over the summer, bettered his previous collegiate low round (67) by one stroke on a day when he made six birdies and 12 pars. Playing in his first collegiate event, Theodorakis, the 2016 Connecticut high school state champion, had five birdies and 13 pars.
Raul Pereda of Jacksonville shot a 7-under 65 to lead the 80-golfer field. LaMorte is in a tie with Camilo Aguado of Jacksonville State and Stanton Schorr of Mercer at 6-under 66. Theodorakis is tied for fifth at 5-under 67 along with Philip Loeb of Elon and Alex Henderson of James Madison.
In the men's tournament, Jacksonville is in second place at 13-under 275, two strokes ahead of James Madison (277). Gardner-Webb (278) is fourth, while Houston Baptist and Mercer are tied for fifth (280).
Campbell sophomore Ray Kraivixien is tied for 12th individually after matching his collegiate career low (69) on a day when he made only one bogey to go along with four birdies. Senior Craig Hornberger is tied for 20th at 2-under-par 70 after he played the final 10 holes at 3-under.
In his first collegiate action, red-shirt freshman Brett McLamb birdied his final two holes (the par-4 eighth and par-5 ninth) to finish at two-over 74 and in a tie for 52nd place.
The Campbell men will start from True Blue's first tee at 9:00 a.m. along with Jacksonville and James Madison for Monday's second round.
Golfweek Program Challenge (Men)
Pawley's Island, S.C. / True Blue Plantation GC
Sept. 11-13, 2016 / Par 72, 6982 yards
First Round Team Results: 1. Campbell 272, 2. Jacksonville 275, 3. James Madison 277, 4. Gardner-Webb 278, T5. Houston Baptist 280, T5. Mercer 280, 7. Jacksonville State 281, 8. Stetson 283, 9. Elon 284, 10. Boston College 290, T11. Radford 292, T11. Western Carolina 292, 13. Morehead State 294, 14. Tennessee Tech 295, 15. Valparaiso 301, 16. Xavier 303.
First Round Individual Leaders: 1. Raul Pereda (Jacksonville) 65, T2. Camila Aguado (Jacksonville State) 66, T2. Thomas LaMorte (Campbell) 66, T2. Stanton Schorr (Mercer) 66, T5. Philip Loeb (Elon) 67, T5. Alex Henderson (James Madison ) 67, T5. Max Theodorakis (Campbell) 67.
Other Campbell Individuals: T12. Ray Kraivixien 69, T20. Craig Hornberger 70, T52. Brett McLamb 74.
Golfweek Program Challenge Combined First Round Standings: 1. Campbell -10 (men -16, women +6), 2. Jacksonville State -1 (men -7, women +6), 3. Boston College +1 (men +2, women -1), 4. Jacksonville +4 (men -13, women +17), 5. Mercer +8 (men -8, women +16), 6. Gardner-Webb +14 (men -10, women +24), T7. James Madison +18 (men -11, women +29), T7. Houston Baptist +18 (men -8, women +26), 9. Morehead State +21 (men +6, women +15), 10. Elon +28 (men -4, women +32), 11. Western Carolina +29 (men +4, women +25), 12. Stetson +32 (men -5, women +37), 13. Tennessee Tech +34 (men +7, women +27), 14. Xavier +35 (men +15, women +20), 15. Valparaiso +45 (men +13, women +32), 16. Radford +48 (men +4, women +44).
