PUEBLO, COLO. – The UT Tyler men's golf team carded rounds of 298 and 294 on day one of the Farmers Insurance Samuel Proal Invitational at Walking Stick Golf Course to sit in a tie for seventh place.
 
The Patriots officially opened up their 2022-23 season on Monday in Pueblo, Colo. with the two rounds, and were led by sophomore Jackson Naeger's four-under par total of 140 on day one. Naeger posted rounds of 70 in round one and round two, and in sits in a tie for seventh place on the individual leaderboard.
 
Host Colorado State-Pueblo blitzed the field with a 31-under par team total of 545 (272-273) on Monday and will begin tomorrow's final round with a 23-stroke advantage over second-place Hutchinson Community College.
 
Naeger made seven birdies between the two rounds, and went bogey-free in his second round 70 with birdies on the second and fourth hole, and then 16 pars to climb within six shots of the individual lead held by Colorado State-Pueblo's Matt Millar. Graduate student Carson Whitton also provided a quality outing for UT Tyler with rounds of 73-72 to finish with a one-over total of 145 in a tie for 19^th place.
 
Junior Carter Lewis shot a pair of 76's to sit in a tie for 45^th place with a 152 total. Classmate Seth Campbell finished a few back of Lewis with rounds of 79-77 for a 156 total in a tie for 51^st place.
 
Junior Alex Kopenhaver rounded out the scoring team with a 157 (81-76) in a tie for 54^th place. Classmate Garrett Honeycutt finished his day in a tie for 33^rd place as an individual competitor with rounds of 77-73 for a 150 total.
 
UT Tyler will enter tomorrow morning's final round in a tie for seventh place alongside Lone Star Conference foe DBU, and sits within 11 strokes of three South Central Region foes. The Patriots hold an advantage of conference foe Lubbock Christian, as well as in-region foe Regis.
 
Tomorrow's final round will get started at 8:30 a.m. local time.