SIMPSONVILLE, Ky. – Three players fired under par rounds as the Lamar University men's golf team finished day one of the Louisville Cardinal Challenge tied for seventh with a three-under 281 Friday on the par 71 University of Louisville Golf Club course.
 
Duke, one of five nationally ranked teams in the tournament, leads the way with an opening-round 257.
 
"I thought we played great today," said LU head coach Jessie Mudd. "We got out to a little bit of a slow start on the first four or five holes but continued to battle and eventually the guys settled down. I don't think there was any one thing that led to our turnaround. We started on the back nine, which I believe is tougher than the front on this course, and it just took us a few holes to settle in. Also, let's not forget this is the first tournament of the season, so there were definitely some nerves getting started."
 
The Cardinals enter Saturday's round of 18 ahead of No. 20 North Carolina and No. 27 Kentucky.  
 
Big Red was led by Hugo Hellman who fired a two-under 69 to end the day tied for 16^th. Hellman finished the day just a stroke up on teammates Sam Dumez and Cody Banach. The LU duo each fired a one-under 70 to finish the day tied for 32^nd overall.
 
"This was a great start for Hugo's career," said Mudd. "He is a true freshman so this was the first tournament of his career. To come out here and play the way that he did is testament to not only his abilities, but his mind set.
 
"We had other guys who played great today too. Cody and Eason bogeyed their last hole, which stings, but they still played great. Last year we didn't have a great start to the season, so this adds some momentum and changes the whole dynamic moving forward," added Mudd.
 
Senior Eason Wang was Big Red's fourth best finisher on the day posting a one-over 72 (par was changed from 72 to 71 prior to the start of competition Friday morning). He is currently tied for 47^th overall.
 
Sophomore Nikolai Schaffrath closed out the Cardinals' opening round of action for the 2018-19 campaign with a five-over 76. He is tied for 82^nd.
 
The Cardinals will look to make a move on the leaders with the second round of action. Saturday's round of 18 will get under way at 9 a.m. from the same course.
 
Louisville Cardinal Challenge
UofL Golf Club – Simpsonville, Ky.
Sept. 14, 2018
Teams                                        Score
1. Duke                                       257
2. Wake Forest                           268
    Louisville                                268
4. South Florida                         277
    Western Kentucky                 277
6. Mississippi State                   280
7. Lamar University                 281
    UL Monroe                            281
9. North Carolina                       284
10. Cincinnati                            285
11. Nebraska                             286
      Kentucky                             286
13. Louisiana Tech                   287
      Charlotte                             287
15. East Tennessee State        290
16. UL Lafayette                       292