WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS – The University of Texas at Tyler men's golf team posted the lowest team total in program history and sit in second place on the team leaderboard following day one of the Midwestern State Invitational.

The Patriot's first round team total of 275 stands as the lowest single round score in the history of the UT Tyler men's golf team, and complimented a second round of 290 to place UT Tyler five shots back of leader Midland Community College with a 565 (275-290) two-round total. UT Tyler sits ahead of the 14 other South Central Region members in the field, and completed the opening two rounds of the event two-under par as a team.
 
Senior Carson Whitton matched the low round of the day with a first-round 66 and sits in fourth place entering tomorrow's final round after a six-under 136 (66-70) total at Wichita Falls Country Club. Whitton made 10 birdies and an eagle and sits just two shots back of the individual leaders at eight-under par.

Whitton's opening round 66 led the Patriots to their historic round, bettering last year's second round 276 at the 2022 Lone Star Conference Men's Golf Championships for the best round in the 19-year history of the program.
 
Whitton was joined by junior Carter Lewis and sophomore Jackson Naeger, who posted rounds of 68 and 70 with under-par scores as part of the historic round. Lewis made three birdies, an eagle and a bogey to post his 68, while Naeger made three birdies and two bogeys to card his round of 70.
 
UT Tyler followed up that 275 with an afternoon round of 290 to maintain their position in the mix at the top of the leaderboard. The Patriots will enter tomorrow morning's final round one stroke clear of Midwestern State, Western New Mexico and Colorado State-Pueblo, all three teams that have positioned themselves at the top of the South Central Region early on in 2022-23.
 
Whitton stayed under par in his second round, shooting a one-under round of 70 to once again pace the Patriots. Junior Jackson Powers shot a 72, and Lewis and junior Seth Campbell both turned in scores of 74 to round out the four counting rounds for UT Tyler.
 
Lewis sits in a tie for 16^th place with a 142 (68-74) total, and Campbell in a tie for 35^th place alongside Powers with a 145 (71-74) 36-hole total. Powers posted a 73 in round one to record his 145 (73-72) total.
 
Naeger enters tomorrow morning in a tie for 69^th place following a second round 81, bringing his two-round aggregate to 151 (70-81).
 
UT Tyler will need another solid round tomorrow in the final round in order to stay in the mix at the top of the leaderboard and collect crucial head-to-head wins against some of the region's best. That round will get started with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start.