CHADRON, Neb. – Highly-touted freshmen Macy Kleve and Lauren Knapp led the way for Chadron State on day one of the Swan Memorial Tournament, hosted by Colorado Christian in Broomfield, Colorado.
Kleve, out of Windsor, Colorado, turned in a round of 5-over-par 77 and is in 21st place among a field of 66 to lead all CSC golfers after 18 holes of play, with one round to go on Tuesday. Knapp, who hails from Rapid City, carded an 8-over-par 80 but closed incredibly strongly, shooting 1-under-par 35 on the Broadlands Golf Course back nine.
Knapp is tied for 34th place with several golfers, including sophomore teammate Allison Sanger, who joined Knapp with multiple birdies during her round. Sophomore Klara Kleinig, who recorded CSC's top scoring average last season, is tied for 41st place after shooting 9-over 81 while senior Payton Wise is tied for 48thafter carding an 11-over 83.
The Eagles find themselves in ninth place out of an 11-team field after the opening day, shooting 30-over-par 318 as a team. Chadron State is just one stroke behind South Dakota Mines in eighth and two strokes back of seventh-place Fort Lewis. They have a 10-stroke cushion over 10th-place Black Hills State.
Reigning RMAC champions CSU Pueblo are the tournament leaders at 7-over 295, with a four-stroke lead over Cal State LA and hosts Colorado Christian in second. South Dakota Mines's Kenzie Schroeder leads the medalist race at 2-under-par 70, with a pair of CCU golfers in Raya Schulz and Kylee Hughes shooting even-par 72 to be tied for second.
Two more Chadron State golfers made the trip but are competing as individuals and do not factor into team points. Sophomore Brooklyn Tychsen shot a 21-over 93 while Chadron High School grad Taegan Bach made her collegiate debut as a true freshman and shot a 31-over 103.
The second round of the tourney will be a shotgun start, with all participants teeing off at 8 a.m. Chadron State will open on holes 9-12, with the Eagles' two individuals (Tychsen and Bach) opening on 16 and 17.
