Setting the Scene:

2013 Atlantic 10 Championship

Course: Heron Bay G.C. – Coral Springs, Fla. (par 72/7,208 yards)

The field: 13 teams, 65 total golfers

Weather: 85 degrees, winds NE 16 mph

Rhode Island's Individual Results:

* Branden Chicorka sits atop the leaderboard, after firing a 6-under par 66.  The senior did not record a bogey through his 18 holes of play.  Chicorka birdied the 3rd, 9th, 10th, 12th, 14th, and 18th to complete the lowest single-round score in his collegiate career.  He leads Charlotte's Raoul Menard by one stroke.

* Andrew Fiorenzano also had a stellar opening round of play, with a 2-under par 70.  It tied his low round of the year, set during the fall (MacDonald Cup).  The junior carded five birdies on the day - at the 7th, 9th, 11th, 14th, and 15th.  He sits in a tie for seventh place.

* Jared Adams and Nick Fairweather are each tied for 50th place, each registering an opening round score of 77.  Adams birdied two of his first three holes - the 1st and the 3rd - while also posting two consecutive birds on the back nine - at 14 and 15.

Fairweather, playing in his first A-10 Championship, birdied the 9th and the 16th holes in his first day of action.  

* Jeffrey Ray opened with a 78, which puts him in a tie for 55th place overall.  The senior played well on the par 5's, registering birdies on the 602 yard 4th hole and the 573 yard 14th hole.

Rhode Island Team Results:

* The Rams sit in fourth place after day one, registering its low team aggregate score of the spring - 290.  It was the second-lowest team total of the year, second only to the 287 recorded at The MacDonald Cup in September.

Charlotte leads the team title race, with a score of 278, followed by VCU (279) and Temple (287).  Richmond and Xavier are tied for fifth (291).

Quotable:

"Branden played impeccable golf, especially on the back nine in a fierce wind.  His hard work has put him in position to win the golf tournament.  Andrew played well too.  I said before the tournament that either one of them could win this thing and I still believe it.  When you have two guys combining for 8-under, you have a chance to do something special.  Tomorrow is a gut-check for us. I'm confident we will get four good scores."
-- head coach Gregg Burke

What's Next:

Rhode Island competes in round two of the 2013 Atlantic 10 Championship on Saturday, April 27 at the Heron Bay G.C. in Coral Springs, Fla.