CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Hosting its lone tournament of the 2025-26 season, No. 2 Virginia has the 36-hole lead after day one at the Lewis Chitengwa Memorial Golf Tournament. Graduate student Paul Chang tops the individual leaderboard at 10-under par.
The Cavaliers were in fourth place after the first 18 holes in the morning, trailing Florida State by nine strokes but stormed back in the afternoon with a 15-under par, 269, UVA’s lowest 18-hole score in the five-year history of the tournament. The Cavaliers own a four-shot lead over SMU going into the final round on Tuesday (April 14).
Chang fired back-to-back 66s and took the outright lead on the 16th hole of the afternoon round with a seven-foot birdie putt. He has a one-shot lead over five competitors that are tied for second place. Chang had eight birdies in the first round, against three bogeys. He now has six rounds of 66 or better this season, with four coming in the last two tournaments. Chang had one bogey in the second round and birdied four of the last seven holes.
For the OUTRIGHT lead!
— Virginia Men's Golf (@UVAMensGolf) April 13, 2026
Paul Chang birdies No. 16 and takes a one-shot lead at the Lewis Chitengwa Memorial! #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/7nsfiSD9kB
Among the quintet tied for second is UVA senior Ben James who entered the event ranked No. 1 in the PGA Tour University rankings and No. 2 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR). James opened his day with a 68 and caught fire on the first nine of his second round. He eagled the sixth hole and followed it with back-to-back birdies to shoot a 30 on the front nine. He concluded his day with a 65, his lowest 18-hole score since the 2023 Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate.
Ben James finishes w/ a par on 18 to close out a second-round 6️⃣5️⃣! pic.twitter.com/WviYUDpabM
— Virginia Men's Golf (@UVAMensGolf) April 13, 2026
Bryan Lee posted a 66 in his afternoon round, a card that featured six birdies (3 on the front, 3 on the back). It matched his lowest 18-hole score of the season established back on his opening round in the Puerto Rico Classic in February. Lee is in a tie for 13th place and seven strokes back of Chang for the lead.
Competing as an individual, sophomore Maxi Puregger opened the day with a 67. His opening round ended with an eagle on the par five 15th hole followed by birdies on the 16th and 18th holes. It marked the seventh time his dipped into the 60s this season.
UP NEXT
Tee times for the final round of the Lewis Chitengwa Memorial begin at 8:30 a.m. at Birdwood Golf Course. Admission to the event is free and open to the public.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Competing as an individual, first year Alex Wells carded a 71 in the second round, his second-lowest round of the season.
- Florida State’s Wilmer Edero tied the 18-hole tournament record with a 63 in the first round and now shares it with Bryce Lewis (Tennessee) who established the mark in 2024.
LEADERBOARD
|
PL. |
TEAM |
RD 1 |
RD 2 |
TO PAR |
|
1. |
Virginia |
277 |
269 |
-22 |
|
2. |
SMU |
279 |
271 |
-18 |
|
T3. |
Tennessee |
272 |
280 |
-16 |
|
T3. |
Florida State |
268 |
284 |
-16 |
|
T5. |
NC State |
272 |
289 |
-7 |
|
T5. |
Maryland |
284 |
277 |
-7 |
|
7. |
Charlotte |
279 |
285 |
-4 |
|
8. |
Texas State |
279 |
293 |
+4 |
|
9. |
Liberty |
282 |
292 |
+6 |
|
10. |
Virginia Tech |
288 |
291 |
+11 |
|
11. |
Toledo |
291 |
293 |
+16 |
|
12 |
Loyola Maryland |
288 |
298 |
+18 |
VIRGINIA
|
PL. |
PLAYER |
RD 1 |
RD 2 |
TO PAR |
|
1. |
66 |
66 |
-10 |
|
|
T2. |
68 |
65 |
-9 |
|
|
T13. |
73 |
66 |
-3 |
|
|
T13. |
Maxi Puregger (IND) |
67 |
72 |
-3 |
|
T33. |
71 |
72 |
+1 |
|
|
T40. |
Alex Wells (IND) |
73 |
71 |
+2 |
|
T48. |
72 |
73 |
+3 |
|
|
72. |
Sam O’Hara (IND) |
84 |
80 |
+22 |