LAKE CHARLES, La. — Lamar University men's golf delivered a stellar opening day at the Golden Nugget Invitational on Monday at The Country Club at The Golden Nugget, finishing atop the leaderboard with a two-round total of 545 (274–271).

The Cardinals opened strong with 62 birdies across the first 36 holes.

In Round 1, Nathan Woodham and David Schneider Jerez carded matching 68s (-4), while Filip Widepalm and Matthew Bramford each posted a 69 (-3).

Bramford totaled six birdies in the opening round, and Woodham added five.

Schneider turned in a bogey-free round with four birdies and 14 pars, and Widepalm produced a clean front nine with two birdies and seven pars.

Woodham and Bramford were bogey-free on the back nine, combining for seven birdies.

Lamar turned up the heat in Round 2, highlighted by an eight-under 64 from Rory Bennet, who rolled in nine birdies — the second-lowest round of the day.

Bennet recorded six birdies on the back nine alone, finishing six under over the final nine holes.

LU tallied 36 birdies in the second round.

Six Cardinals finished under par in Round 2, with Woodham, Widepalm, and Bramford each firing 69s (-3).

The Cardinals hold a one-shot lead over Tarleton State and a two-shot edge on third-place UTSA entering the final round. Three Cardinals sit inside the top 10 individually.

Tarleton State's Alvaro Pastor (65–66—131) and UL Monroe's Louis Anceaux (70–61—131) are tied for the overall lead.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

T7            Nathan Woodham                      68-69—137
T10         Filip Widepalm                            69-69—138
T10         Matthew Bramford                      69-69—138
T13         David Schneider Jerez               68-71—139
T18         Rory Bennet                               76-64—140
T48         Fermin Martinez (Ind.)                76-70—146
66            Truls Andersson (Ind.)                78-76—154

UP NEXT

Final round action begins Tuesday with an 8:45 a.m. shotgun start.