William & Mary men’s golf team shot its best opening round at the Colonial Athletic Association Championships since 2002, finishing the first day in sixth place after play on April 26. The tournament is being held at the Cotton Dike Course at Dataw Island Club.
The team’s score of one-under-par 287 marked its tenth under-par round this season and was the program’s top opening-round performance at the CAA Championships in over two decades. This result follows their previous best of a one-under 287 at The Crossings Golf Club in Richmond, Virginia, during the same event in 2002.
Freshman Talon Dingledine led William & Mary with a three-under-par 69, which was also the program’s lowest individual round at the CAA Championships since Preston Ball achieved a similar score in 2021. Dingledine recorded three birdies among his first five holes and finished tied for ninth place after day one. His twelfth par-or-better round this season ranks fifth all-time for William & Mary.
Junior Preston Burton contributed a two-under-par 70 to sit tied for fifteenth. Burton made four birdies across five holes, including three consecutive birdies on par fours and capped his run with a strong finish on the twelfth hole. Graduate student Matthew Monastero posted a one-over-par 73 to tie for twenty-ninth, while freshman Eli Felty and sophomore Grady Williams each carded rounds of three-over-par 75 to share thirty-fifth position.
UNC Wilmington leads after shooting twelve-under-par (276), followed by Campbell (277) and Towson (278). James Rico from UNCW holds the individual lead with an opening-round six-under-par score of sixty-six.
The Tribe will continue play alongside Elon and Charleston in Monday’s second round scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m.
