Led once again by the play of junior Zach Cutler (O’Fallon, Mo./Timberland), the Valparaiso University men’s golf team opened the three-day Golfweek Program Challenge from True Blue G.C. in Pawley’s Island, S.C. on Sunday.

How It Happened

• With a pair of second-place finishes already under his belt this season, Cutler shot a two-under round of 70 on Sunday to open tournament play. He finds himself five shots off the lead, in a tie for 20th place, after the opening 18 holes.
• Senior Peter Webb (Madison, Wis./James Madison Memorial) was the second-lowest Crusader on Sunday, carding a round of 74, while junior Michael Doherty (Lisle, Ill./Naperville North) was one shot back of Webb after an opening-round 75.
• Freshman Ross Lazar (Okemos, Mich./Okemos) posted an 82 for the first 18 holes, while sophomore Mitchell Wittmann (Kaukauna, Wis./Kaukauna) rounded out the Crusader squad with an 84 on Sunday.
• As a team, Valpo shot a round of 301 in the first round of the three-circuit event, just 11 shots back of 10th place in the 16-team field. Campbell leads the team standings after day one after a first-round total of 272.

Inside the Round

• Cutler recorded a team-best five birdies in the opening round, including birdies on two of the course’s five par-5s.
• Cutler and Wittmann both tallied birdies on a pair of par-3 holes on Sunday.
• This is the fourth consecutive year that the Crusaders have played at the Golfweek Program Challenge early in the season. Both the individual and team single-round and 54-hole tournament records were set at True Blue G.C. in 2014.

Next Up

The Crusaders open up the second round at 8 a.m. CT on Monday morning, as Wittmann tees off on the tenth hole.