GOODYEAR, ARIZ. – UT Tyler sits seventh after a low scoring day one of the RJGA Palm Valley Classic with rounds of 285-286.
 
The Patriots finished five-under par as a team at Palm Valley Golf Club on Monday and will begin Tuesday's final round just two shots back of a three-way tie for fourth place on the team leaderboard. Junior Jackson Naeger finished six-under par and sits in a tie for seventh place on the individual leaderboard after a pair of 69's.
 
Colorado Christian went 279-270 as a team on Monday to hold a seven-shot advantage heading into the final round with a 549 total. Three individuals sit in a tie atop of the leaderboard at 11-under par in Ron Kildall of Fort Lewis, Adam Niles of Western New Mexico and Seth Bearden of Midwestern State.
 
Junior Seth Campbell joined Naeger with under-par rounds on Monday, posting a score of 71 in both rounds to finish the day two-under par. Campbell sits in a tie for 17^th place.
 
Junior Jay Shero posted a one-under 71 in round one and an even-par 72 in the afternoon round to finish one-under par for the day with a 143. 27 players finish under par after the opening two rounds in the field.
 
Shero's 143 total places him in a tie for 21^st place.
 
Sophomore Luke Emerson continued the trend of consistent golf for the Patriots on Monday with a pair of 74's to sit in a tie for 68^th place with a 148 total. Senior Carter Lewis rounded out the scoring on the day for UT Tyler with a 153.
 
UT Tyler will look to stay ahead of multiple in-region foes in tomorrow's final round and will have a golden opportunity to potentially overtake a pair of teams that entered the week ahead of the Patriots in the NCAA DII South Central Regional Rankings. Midwestern State and Colorado School of Mines are one of three teams alongside Fort Lewis to sit just two shots ahead of UT Tyler in a tie for fourth place.
 
Tomorrow morning's final round will get started with a 7:30 a.m. local start.