PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – On Friday at PGA Golf Club, the Chicago State University women’s team jumped out to the first-round lead, while Bethune-Cookman University took the early lead in the Division I Men's competition at the 28th PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship.
The 2014 edition of the Championship features nearly 200 players representing more than 40 colleges and universities. The 54-hole Championship concludes Sunday.
The Bethune-Cookman men’s team, which opened with a 10-over-par 298 total on the Wanamaker Course, took a two-stroke lead over Alabama State University. Savannah State University is in third place at 301.
Both Bethune-Cookman and Alabama State will be competing in NCAA regionals next week.
Bethune-Cookman was led by senior Matthew McKnight, who shot 3-under-par 69 on the Wanamaker Course at PGA Golf Club.
“It was really windy today, so I was very impressed with my overall play,” said McKnight, who is competing in his fourth and final PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship. “We have three seniors, a junior and a sophomore playing this week and feel extremely comfortable on this golf course.”
The Chicago State women's team, which played on the adjacent Ryder Course, used a team total of 309, to grab a nine-stroke lead over the University of Houston-Victoria. Defending Champion Bethune-Cookman is in third at 321.
Brooke Melvin of Temecula, Calif., led Chicago State with an opening-round 76.
“I was able to keep the ball in the fairway today and make some putts, which was important,” said Melvin. “The team wanted to come out strong and it’s my last collegiate tournament so I really wanted to play well.”
In the Division II men’s competition, defending champion Lincoln University from Jefferson City, Mo., took the early lead over Texas A&M International University by three strokes.
Senior Brian Lillevold shot 70 to lead the Lincoln University Blue Tigers, which had a team total of 291.
“I started quick with a birdie on my first two holes and I just coasted from there,” said Lillevold. “We are probably the favorites this year coming back as the defending champion. And if we can just play our game, I think we will be okay coming down the stretch.”
In the Women's Individual Invitational, Cheryl Chua of South Carolina State opened with 72 on the Ryder Course. Kalea Heu of Utah Valley University shot 74 and is in second place.
In the Men's Individual Invitational, Dominique Worthen of LeMoyne-Owen College shot an opening-round 72 and leads the division by two strokes over Joseph Journey of the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore.
Defending champion Robert Grant of Alabama State University shot 76, and is in a tied for third place.
In the Men’s NAIA Division, the University of Houston-Victoria grabbed the first-round lead over Edward Waters College of Jacksonville, Florida.
The PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship, which originated in November 1986 following the Jackson State University Golf Tournament, has elevated golf in minority colleges and universities by providing opportunities to more players to compete in a national championship.
In 2006, the PGA of America was granted complete ownership and management of the championship by the National Minority Collegiate Golf Scholarship Fund.
First-Round Scores:
Men’s Team Division I
1. Bethune-Cookman University 298
Matthew McKnight 69
Rafael Abad 73
Ryan Fricker 78
Emmanuel Petrich 78
Leon Fricker 79
2. Alabama State University 300
Yann Pfieffer 74
Jose Rodriguez 74
Ian Mmbando 75
Francis Berthiaume 77
Branson Ferrier 82
3. Savannah State University 301
Brandon Neals 72
Travis Roe 73
Scott Rogers 75
Caleb Simons 81
T.J. Podner 85
4. Florida A&M University 313
Dominick Vennari 77
Kevin Parker 77
Anthony Phipps 77
Justin Stills 79
Cody Sapp 83
5. University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff 316
Nqobani Ernest Ndabambi 73
Jeff Chitando 74
Matthew Dismuke 84
Elliott Rollins, Jr. 85
Joseph Franklin 86
6. Texas Southern University 319
Connor Mathers 78
William Wells 79
Jarett Croff 81
Josiah Brown 81
Luis Colon-Gonzales 88
T7. Chicago State University 320
Dan Patkunas 75
David Keenan 81
Drew Vannoy 81
Keith Haines 83
Miles Bailey 84
T7. University of Maryland Eastern Shore 320
Michael Veverka 75
Kuen Park 80
Paul Cecil 81
Norman Blanco 84
Christopher Toney 86
9. Hampton University 331
Kenny Gaither 78
T.J. O'neal 84
Dawson Hobbs 84
Arthur Davis 85
Jevon Bell 95
10. North Carolina Central 334
Michael Wilson 81
Glendon Mabe 82
Garreth Carpenter 83
Justin (J.T.) Thomas 88
11. Prairie View University 357
Jason Hudson 80
Rodolfo Muniz 86
Jonathan Dupard 94
Vlryn Veal 97
Spencer Anderson 113
Men’s Team Division II
1. Lincoln University 291
Brian Lillevold 70
Steven Mallow 71
Nick Goeke 74
Blake Lammers 76
Austin Wheeler 79
2. Texas A&M International University 294
Juan Ruben Gonzalez 71
Andres Aranguren 72
Gary Natal 74
Zachary Jackson 77
Sammie Goldfarb III 80
3. California State University-Dominguez Hills 302
Anibal Kim Yang 73
Shane Kowal 74
Ryan Saldana 76
Brantly Blew 79
Cameron Macdonald 87
4. Virginia State University 310
Matt Genchi 75
Aaron Nelson 77
Austin Ayers 78
Adam Clary 80
Dalton Jolly 86
5. Fayetteville State University 317
Matthew Hawley 76
Brandon Jobe 78
Christopher Jackson 79
Justin Smith 84
6. Johnson C. Smith University 344
Brencis Stanford 79
Robert Calvin Mason 84
Stephen Graddick, IV 90
Johanan Edmeade 91
Men’s NAIA Division
1. University of Houston-Victoria 309
Vance Edwards 73
Steve Jones 75
William Dawson-Hicks 80
Jake Truss 81
Nick Ver Elst 84
2. Edward Waters College 369
Alvin Vicioso 83
Christian Mota 84
Spencer Smith 97
Melvin Tyler Johnson 105
Women’s Team Division
1. Chicago State University 309
Brooke Melvin 76
Fernanda Valdes Solis 77
Jessica Peatross 77
Casey MacNeil 79
Lorelle Weavers 85
2. University of Houston-Victoria 318
Heather Shake 74
Becky Benchot 78
Haley Harris 80
Brooke Brasseaux 86
Caitlin Swisher 87
3. Bethune-Cookman University 321
Patrizia Trevisan 79
Marie Bergelin 80
Andrea Orozco 81
Alice Plumb 81
Jennifer Hide 84
4. Delaware State University 331
Mengxuan Gai 80
Brooke Foster 82
Suchada Anusuriya 82
Elaine Aisha Peete 87
5. Texas Southern University 337
Adriana Trevino 81
Carmen Gonzales 83
Briana Trevino 85
Jalyn Kuykendall 88
Angela Rafac 98
6. Texas A&M International University 341
Begona Aranguren 80
Yesenia Ramirez 87
Abigail Palacios 87
Sasha Linauskas 87
Narda Garcia 101
7. Lincoln University 352
Payton Schooler 79
Sophia Pardalos 81
Mackenzie Wilson 88
Lauren McHenry 104
8. Hampton University 355
Britney Smith 79
Mikea Granberry 87
Crystal Smitherman 90
Milan James 99
Women’s Individual Invitational
1. Cheryl Chua, South Carolina State University 72
2. Kalea Heu, Utah Valley University 74
T3. Cassandra Lesa, Utah Valley University 76
T3. Kassandra Rivera, Texas Southern University 76
T5. Tali Letoi, Chicago State University 79
T5. Tiana Jones, South Carolina State University 79
7. Mackenzie Johnson, Michigan State University 80
T8. Hannah Herman, Utah Valley University 81
T8. Mia Campbell, Alabama State University 81
10. Darleen Raymond, Alabama State University 82
T11. Michelle Gifford, Savannah State University 85
T11. Vanessa Adarme, BethuneCookman University 85
T13. Alexandra Uduk, University of Maryland Eastern Shore 86
T13. Sierra Everson, University of Akron 86
15. Cherie Chua, South Carolina State University 87
16. Jocelyn Williams, Savannah State University 89
17. Mele Latu, Johnson & Wales University 90
18. Kelly Willis, Benedict College 92
19. Brunelle Coakley, Johnson & Wales University 106
Men’s Individual Invitational
1. Dominique Worthen, LeMoyneOwen College 72
2. Joseph Journey, University of Maryland Eastern Shore 74
T3. Justin Watkins, University of Central Oklahoma 76
T3. Lawrence Mckenzie, Livingstone College 76
T3. Robert Grant, Alabama State University 76
T6. Brandon Lau, Florida Institute of Technology 78
T6. William Godfrey, Francis Marion University 78
T8. Ben Hunter, Newport News Apprentice School 79
T8. Corey Price, Alabama State University 79
T8. Jerrell Hubbard, Paine College 79
T11. Kijontray McClay, University of Maryland Eastern Shore 81
T11. MarkAnthony Curtis, Marymount University 81
T13. Joseph Morrison, Florida A&M University 82
T13. Taylor Nelson, Virginia Union University 82
15. Nivel Felicien, University of Maryland Eastern Shore 83
16. Sean Wilson, Chowan University 84
T17. Joseph Killebrew, Alabama State University 85
T17. Josiah Singletary, Methodist University 85
T19. Anthony Body, Morehouse College 86
T19. Bruce Cousin, Morehouse College 86
T19. James Fernandez, University of Central Oklahoma 86
T19. Zach Armstrong, University of Central Oklahoma 86
23. Kelly Allen, Benedict College 88
T24. John Wilborn, University of Nevada, Las Vegas 89
T24. Patrick Harris, University of Maryland Eastern Shore 89
T24. Rhalston Jones, Benedict College 89
27. Stephen Washington, Livingstone College 90
28. Michael Ferguson, University of Maryland Eastern Shore 91
T29. Kenny Conrad, Lincoln University 92
T29. Michael Harden, Clemson University 92
31. Brandon Bailey, Virginia Union University 93
T32. Brandon Bolling, Lewis University 94
T32. Jon Seward, University of Maryland Eastern Shore 94
34. Telvin Walker, Livingstone College 95
T35. Eddie Crawford, Methodist University 99
T35. Kohl Lasell, Prairie View University 99
37. Sedrick Bailey, University of Maryland Eastern Shore 100
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