PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLA. – Henrik Lilja opened play Monday in the NCAA Palm Beach Gardens Regional at PGA National Champion Course.
 
On the same layout that hosts the PGA TOUR Honda Classic, Lilja carded a 9-over-par 81.  The Big South Conference golfer of the year made 11 pars and one birdie over the first 18 holes.
 
Only nine players in the 75-golfer field finished in red numbers Monday on the par-72, 7048-yard George and Tom Fazio design that was updated a decade ago by Jack Nicklaus.
 
Nick Lyerly of UNCG is the first-round leader at 5-under-par 67, one stroke ahead of Vanderbilt's Harrison Ott, Taichi Kho of Notre Dame and Sam Nicholson from South Florida.
 
Third-ranked Vanderbilt combined for a 3-under 285 team score and sits atop the team leader board in front of South Florida (290), Notre Dame (292), Davidson (293), Florida (294) and the College of Charleston (294) in the 14-school field.
 
Lilja will be paired with players from Indiana and Loyola Maryland for Tuesday's second round and start from the first tee at 9:53 a.m.  Live scoring is available at Golfstat.com.
 
The top five teams and top individual not on those qualifying teams from each of the six regionals will advance to the NCAA Championship, May 27-June 1 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.