CHAUTAUQUA, New York ---- Sophomore Chris McMorrow (Weymouth) of the Massasoit men's golf team fired a season-low 4-over 76 to sit just one shot back of the overall lead to begin the four-day 2019 NJCAA Men's Golf National Tournament held at Chautauqua Country Club's Lake Course on Tuesday.
The Weymouth native's score ranks in a six-way tie for fourth, trailing only three student-athletes that shot 75s, as a total of 85 student-athletes competed at the 6,559-yard, par-72 course in upstate New York near the Canadian border.
This is not uncharted waters for McMorrow as he was tied for third overall following the first day of the 2018 National Championship a season ago, when he rolled in a school record low 75.
On Tuesday, he started the day on the back-9, carding an even 36. The biggest highlight coming on the 13th hole, a 496-yard par-5, when the sophomore chipped in from the fringe for an eagle. His drive went astray off the tee, but McMorrow rebounded by piping a 4-iron out of the woods to just off the green. From there, he chipped in for one of only three eagles posted by the tournament field in the opening round.
In total, his scorecard featured one eagle, one birdie, 11 pars, three bogeys and two double bogeys on the day.
McMorrow's 36 tied with Nick Agapion of Sandhills Community College for the lowest back-9 score.
His second round is slated to begin at 10:52 AM on Wednesday from the first tee.
