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Hutchinson CC Sports Information

NEWTON – Bolstered by their best team round of the week, the Hutchinson Community College men's golf team vaulted into the Top 5 of the NJCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship on Thursday at Sand Creek Station.

The Blue Dragons shot an even-par 288 in Thursday's third round and moved into fifth place after 54 holes.

Friday's final round will tee off at 7:30 a.m. with the Blue Dragons going from 12:50 to 1:30 p.m. off of Hole No. 1. The Dragons will be paired with Midland College and Wallace State in Friday's final round.

Led by freshman Alex Lindstrom's 2-under par 70 on Thursday, the Blue Dragons had their best team round of the Championship. Hutchinson had a 289 on Tuesday and 291 on Wednesday to sit in ninth place after two rounds.

The Blue Dragons counted Lindstrom's 70, freshman Louis Galvin's 72 and 73s from Dominic Clemons and Blake Saffell to finish at 288 and post a 54-hole total of 4-over par 868. Hutchinson is 14 strokes behind Midland for fourth place and 17 shots behind New Mexico Junior College for third place.

Indian Hills made a late surge to take a nine-stroke lead into Friday's finals round. The Warriors shot 280 on Thursday and has a 54-hole total of 22-under park 842. Odessa shot a tournament-low 275 on Thursday and leaped into second place at 851.

No Blue Dragon individual is in the Top 30 after three rounds. Lindstrom and Galvin are tied for 32nd at 1-over 217. Clemons and Saffell are tied for 45th at 4-over 220.

Lindstrom scored under par for the second time in three rounds with a Thursday round that consisted of six birdies, two bogeys and one double-bogey. Lindstrom was 1-over through nine holes, but recorded birdies on Nos. 12, 14, 16 and 18 with one bogey at No. 15 to play the back nine in 2-under par.

Galvin shot a second-straight 72 on Thursday. He was 2-under through 16 holes, but dropped back to level par with bogeys on his final two holes. Galvin started his day with six-straight pars and finished with three birdies and three bogeys.

Clemons was 2-over par through 13 holes, but birdied No. 15 and nearly holed a 40-foot birdie attempt on No. 17 that would have pulled him to even par.

Saffell had two bogeys and one birdie to post a second-straight 73. Saffell opens with six straight pars and was 2-over through 13 holes. Saffell's lone birdie came on No. 15.

Freshman Marco Anderson had a 78 on Thursday and is tied for 82nd with a 54-hole total 10-over-par 226.

Midland's Chris Waldrup shot a 67 on Thursday to lead the individual title chase at 10-under 206. Indian Hills' Jose Ramirez is one stroke behind at 207. Twenty-eight golfers remain under par through 54 holes.