Cavaliers Close Out Day One in Second Place at Chitengwa

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.  – Hosting its lone tournament of the spring, Virginia men’s golf sits in second place after 36 holes of competition at the Lewis Chitengwa Memorial Tournament. Junior Ben James is in fifth place and is 5-under par after rounds of 69 and 68.

Paired with Florida State’s Luke Clanton (Florida State), the No. 1 player in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and Arkansas John Daly II, James is five strokes off the lead after day one. Clanton has the grasp of the tournament’s overall lead at 10-under (66-66) while Daly is tied for 10th with at 3-under after a 73 and a 66.

Virginia had four individuals participating in the event and three are in the top-16, headlined by Sam O’Hara at 4-under. Competing in just his third collegiate event, the sophomore shot a 70 in the morning followed by a career-low, 68 in the afternoon. He totaled 10 birdies between the two rounds, second-most of any player on Monday.

Also competing as an individual, Matthew Monastero is tied for 10th and is 3-under for the tournament. Monastero came out an fired a bogey-free, opening round 68, his first round in the 60s as a collegian. He carded 29 pars in two rounds, the most of any player in the field.

The Cavaliers had nine rounds in the 60s between its nine competitors which included a 68 from Benny Haggin in round two to match his career low. Haggin is tied for 16th and sits at 2-under.

The final round (18 holes) concludes on Tuesday (April 14) with tee times beginning at 8:30 a.m. off holes No. 1 and 10. Admission to the tournament is free and open to the public.

TEAM STANDINGS

 VIRGINIA