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Hutchinson CC Sports Information

NEWTON – After two straight national tournaments of leading wire-to-wire, the No. 1-ranked Hutchinson Community College men's golf team faces a deficit after Round 1 of the 2023 NJCAA Division I Championships on Tuesday at Sand Creek Station.

The No. 1-ranked Blue Dragons are 11 strokes off the pace of Indian Hills after 18 holes. The Blue Dragons shot a 1-over-par 289 on Tuesday.

Round 2 of the 72-hole championship is Wednesday at Sand Creek Station. First tee times are set for 7:30 a.m. The Blue Dragons, who are again paired with New Mexico Junior College and Midland College, tee off from 1:20 to 2 p.m.

The Blue Dragons had a strong start, playing the first five holes in 3-under par. Hutchinson then struggled from holes 6 through 14 with 14 bogeys and only four birdies as the Blue Dragons fell nine spots in the team standings to a tie for 12th.

Hutchinson built some momentum for Wednesday and climbed back into the Top 10 with a good finish that included two birdies each from Alex Lindstrom and Blake Saffell and a Louis Galvin birdie. The Dragons played the final four holes in 3-under par to close at 289.

Indian Hills leads the team standings after 18 holes at 10-under 278. Eastern Florida State is second at 281. Western Texas is at 282 and McLennan is fourth at 283.

This is the first time since 2019 that the Blue Dragons have not led the national tournament after a round. After no tournament in 2020 because of the pandemic, the Blue Dragons led the 2021 and 2022 championships after the opening round and never relinquished the lead.

Lindstrom, who on Monday night was named the Phil Mickelson NJCAA Freshman of the Year, led the Blue Dragons with a 3-under-par round of 69. Lindstrom had four birdies and just one bogey in his opening round. Lindstrom closed strong with birdies on Nos. 16 and 28.

Lindstrom is the only Blue Dragon currently in the Top 10, tied for seventh at 3-under par. Lindstrom was one of 32 golfers to shoot under par on Tuesday.

Galvin and fellow freshman Marco Anderson both carded 1-over 73s on Tuesday, which is tied for 46th.

Galvin was 1-under through nine holes, but had three bogeys over the next six holes before a birdie on No. 16 and pars on the final two holes.

Anderson was 2-under through five holes, but had four birdies and five bogeys to finish at 1-over par after the first round.

Saffell was 4-over par through 13 holes, but put together a strong final five holes with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 15 and 16 and a near miss of a birdie on No. 18 to finish at 2-over 74. Saffell is tied for 61st after the opening round.

Sophomore Dominic Clemons finished Day 1 with a 4-over 76. Clemons is tied for 85th after 18 holes.

Wallace State's Keith Hunter is the individual leader with a 5-under 67. Six golfers are one stroke off the lead after 68s on Tuesday.