Gonzalez Tied For Individual Lead To Help Goucher Men's Golf To A One-Stroke Lead Going Into Final Round

HERSEY, Pa. – Julian Gonzalez (Heredia, Costa Rica/Berkley Academy) shot an even first round to sit tied for the individual lead and help Goucher College to a one-stroke lead at the Landmark Conference Men's Golf Championships on Friday.

Gonzalez, who won the conference fall event on this course, shot a two-under front nine after posting birdies on three and five while posting a par on the other seven holes. The freshman then posted a two-over back nine with a birdie on 12, a bogey on 17 and a double bogey on 18 with the other six holes he shot par. Gonzalez is tied for the individual lead with Nick Kuhn from Moravian after both competitors shot an even-par round of 72.

Just like last season, the Gophers will go into the final round with a one-stroke lead after shooting a 306 in the first round to sit one stroke ahead of Moravian College (307). Catholic University of America (318), University of Scranton (319), Drew University (326), Susquehanna University (328), Elizabethtown College (339) and Juniata College (366) round out the eight-team field.

Evan Yue (Beijing, China/IMG Academy) sits right behind the two co-leaders in third place after shooting a 75 in the opening round. The sophomore, who placed seventh in the conference event as a freshman, posted a birdie on the fifth hole and carded pars on the other eight holes to start his afternoon with a one-under first nine holes. He birdied 16 while adding three pars and five bogeys to register a 40 on the back nine and finish with a round of 75.

Steph Lee (Manalapan, N.J./Saint John Vianney) also is in the Top-10 in seventh place after a 78 in the first round. The sophomore, who was the top finisher at the Landmark Conference Championships last year with a third-place standing, shot a 39 on the front nine after notching pars on seven of the first eight holes, a bogey and a double bogey and then had a 39 on the back nine thanks to pars on the first four holes, three-straight bogeys and a par to end his day.

Roberto Mikse (Fort Worth, Texas/Jim McClean Junior Academy) and Nick Fisher (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) are tied for 17th after carding an 81. Mikse, was finished fifth last year at the league championships, had two birdies, eight pars. six bogeys, a double bogey and a triple bogey while Fisher collected 11 pars, six bogeys and a triple bogey in his opening round.

Goucher will be paired with Moravian, Catholic and Scranton in the final round and will be in the second set of teams to hit the course in hopes of recording its second-straight Landmark Conference title. Fisher will hit the links at 11:22 a.m. and will be followed by Mikse (11:32 a.m.), Lee (11:42 a.m.), Yue (11:52 a.m.) and Gonzalez (12:02 p.m.) will be the last Gopher to hit the course. Gonzalez will be paired with Kuhn and two other players in the Top-7 while Yue's foursome will include three players in the Top-10.