Team Standings | Individual Leaderboard | Day One Results (PDF)

ORLANDO, Fla. – Rhode Island had three players shoot under par in the opening round of the Atlantic 10 Men's Golf Championship. The play of Sean Magarian, Luke Stennett and Tyler Bruneau helped the Rams finish the day in second place, just two strokes off the lead.

Davidson (minus-4) and URI (minus-2) were the only teams to finish the opening round under par. Dayton and George Washington both finished even par to tie for third place, while Richmond rounded out the top five at 1-over par.

Magarian, Bruneau and Stennett gave Rhode Island three players in the top five. Magarian Playing arguably his best round of the year, Magarian finished the day tied for third place at 2-under par. He is just two strokes off the lead of Richmond's Carson Baez and one stroke behind Davidson's Nate Faulkner. Bruneau and Stennett are among a group of 10 players tied for fifth place at 1-under par.

"It was a solid day for us. Having three players in the top five is the kind of thing we need to win here," Rhode Island head coach Gregg Burke said. "We got a great day of golf from Sean. I went after Sean last week about missing on some little things off the course and the fact they we needed him to step up. He said he would do it immediately, and this is the result."

Magarian dominated the front nine, holing birdies on No. 3, No. 4, No. 6 and No. 9. With five birdies and just three bogeys on the day, Magarian fired a 70 for the round.

After making par on the first 10 holes, Bruneau bogeyed the par-3 No. 11 hole. However, he responded in strong fashion down the stretch, shooting 2-under over the final seven holes to finish the day 1-under par. Bruneau carded birdies on holes 13 and 15 to highlight a strong opening round.

Stennett overcame an up-and-down start that saw him card two birdies, one bogey and a double bogey in the first six holes. From there, Stennett was spectacular, shooting 2-under over the final 12 holes to finish the day 1-under par. Stennett birdied three of his final six holes. Only a bogey on hole 16 marred an otherwise brilliant back nine.

"I thought Luke and Tyler had about the worst score they could for the way they hit the ball," Burke said. I expect both to score even better moving forward. They have worked so incredibly hard all year and have given us so much. I am excited to watch both of them contend for medalist honors.

"Those three had never seen the golf course before yesterday so we're hoping course knowledge will help them to even better scoring."

Sophomore Josiah Tong was the fourth scorer on the day for Rhode Island, finding himself tied for 22nd overall. He settled down to card a 2-over par 72. After sinking birdies on the second and third holes, Tong hit a rough patch, with two bogeys sandwiched around a double bogey from holes 4-6. He recovered to shoot even par over the final 11 holes, including a birdie on No. 15.

Junior Aidan O'Donovan struggled early in his round logging four bogeys over the first seven holes. He was even par over the final 11 holes, with a birdie on No. 14. He finished the day tied for at 4-over par.

"We will need everyone to play better for us to contend," Burke said. "Davidson, Richmond, and VCU have been there before and have dominated the league for a very long time. They won't sit back and just watch us."

The Rams will play with Dayton and Davidson on Tuesday. The first group for the three schools is scheduled to tee off at 8:15 a.m.

Team Standings (Through Round One)
1. Davidson – 285
2. Rhode Island – 286
3. Dayton – 288
4. Richmond – 289
5. VCU - 290
6. George Washington – 294
7. Loyola Chicago – 298
8. George Mason – 299
9. Fordham - 304
9. Saint Joseph's – 304
11. St. Bonaventure – 306
12. La Salle – 308