LAS VEGAS, NV – The York College men's golf squad opened their stay at the 2024 NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament on Tuesday at Boulder Creek Golf Club. The Spartans finished day one tied for 26^th in the 43-team field.

The Green and White posted a day one score of 299 as they are tied with the Missisippi University for Women for 26^th. The two squads are just four strokes out of a top 20 placement.

Methodist leads the team championship with a blistering score of 271. Emory is one stroke back at 272. Redlans (275), Illinois Wesleyan (280) and Lynchburg (281) round out the top five team scores for Tuesday.

The Spartans played the more challenging Boulder Creek course during Tuesday's opening round. The Green and White all started their days on hole number ten.

Junior Gavin Ganter led the way for the Spartans as he shot a one-over-par 73 in round one. Ganter began his day with four straight pars before dropping a strong at 14. After a par, Ganter birdied 16 to get back to even. A bogey and a par over the final two holes of his opening nine resulted in a one-over-par 37. Ganter then had seven pars, one birdie and one bogey on an even-par 36 on the second nine of the day. He is tied for 63^rd in the championship.

Juniors Jason Velez and Matthew Salter were the next two Spartan finishers as they each shot a three-over 75. Velez started his round with four pars but a double bogey on 14 derailed him briefly. He bounced back with a birdie on 16 before a bogey on 18 left him with a first nine score of two-over 38. Velez made the turn and shot a one-over 37 on the back with four pars, three bogeys and two birdies.

Salter began his round with a bogey followed by a trio of pars. He birdied 14, had three more pars before a bogey at 18 gave him a first-nine 37. Salter bogeyed two of his first three holes on the front nine but cruised to the finish with six straight pars to close the round.

Velez and Salter are tied for 105^th in the 221-player field.

Sophomore Jacob Fripp was York's fourth scorer in the opening round as he shot a four-over-par 76. Fripp was even through his first eight holes with a bogey, a birdie and six pars. He bogeyed 18 to finish with a 37 on the front. Fripp parred his first three holes on his second nine and then had a bogey on four. Fripp birdied five and six to get back to even but went four over covering his final three holes to finish with a three-over par 39 on his second nine. Fripp is tied for 121^st place.

Freshman Thomas O'Connell made his national championship debut with an 82 on Tuesday. O'Connell went double, birdie, double to open his round before settling in and going two-over during the remaining six holes on his first nine. He got in rhythm to start his second nine with five straight pars before back-to-back doubles followed by a bogey and a par ended his round.

The Spartans head over to the Legacy Golf Club in round two as they start the day at 7:45 local time. The Spartans will look to move into the top 18 to make the cut and advance to the final two rounds of the championship.