MARICOPA, Ariz. — Drew Carlin’s 3-under par 69 was one in every of 4 Richmond rounds in crimson figures on Day 1 of the Nationwide Golf Invitational Friday at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Membership. Carlin was joined by teammates Cole Ekert (-2), Quin Polin (-2), and Patrick Isztwan (-1) beneath par because the Spiders mixed for a crew rating of 8-under (280), second finest within the 10-team subject. 

Richmond trails TCU (-9, 279) by one stroke and is 2 pictures in entrance of third-place Wyoming (-6, 282). UR’s crew rating Friday matched the Thirteenth-best single-round rating in program historical past. 

Carlin is tied for fourth on the person leaderboard after his 3-under 69, which matched the bottom spherical of his faculty profession. Carlin made 4 birdies, three bogeys, and an eagle on the 584-yard, par 5 seventh gap. Carlin reached the inexperienced in two with a hybrid from greater than 250 yards away, after which made a 25-foot putt for his three. 

“I’ve saved taking part in and training at residence and put some further work in with the driving force,” mentioned Carlin, who completed his sophomore college yr earlier this month. “That paid off right this moment.”

Carlin and the remainder of the Spiders thought their season was over following their fifth-place end on the Atlantic 10 Championship in Orlando, Fla. on April 28. However Richmond is one in every of 10 groups to simply accept an invitation to the NGI, which held its inaugural occasion in 2023.

Enjoying in an occasion they by no means anticipated to be in, Carlin says the crew is unfastened. “Mindset smart, now we have nothing to lose out right here,” he mentioned. “So simply exit, have enjoyable, and play some good golf.”

Ekert and Polin are each tied for ninth at 2-under par, whereas Isztwan one shot again in a tie for fifteenth. Teammate Jack LaPiana can be within the high 20 at even-par, making him one in every of 5 golfers tied for twentieth. 

The Spiders will begin Spherical 2 at 7:45 AM Saturday.