Lubbock, Texas -- Despite having all five players shoot even- or below-par, Indian Hills finds itself trailing fellow ICCAC member Iowa Western by one shot after the first day of the NJCAA Division I National Championship. The Warriors finished with a 10-under total of 278, but Iowa Western posted a 277 later in the afternoon to take the Day 1 lead. Odessa (Tex.) College is 3rd at 285 after 18 holes of the four-day event.
Julien Sale and Joe Kim topped Indian Hills with three-under par scores of 69 which has the IHCC duo in a tie for 5th place. Last year's individual champ Ricky Sanders had a good start toward defending his title, firing a two-under 70 to tie with three others for 9th place. Also in that group of golfers with a first-round 70 was IHCC's George Clarke who had 14 pars. Maxime Leclerc rounded out the Warriors' scores with an even-par 72 over The Rawls Course.
Sanders and Kim had two of the 20 eagles for the day and Kim birdied seven holes and Sale six. Kim played the par-3 holes in two-under, tops in the 107-player field.
After being one of the first teams to begin play on Tuesday the Warriors have afternoon tee times Wednesday.
The 278 score posted by Indian Hills in round 1 was the second-lowest opening-round score ever in the national tourney for an IHCC squad. The 2006 team shot a 273 to begin the tourney. They finished in 5th place.