Liu Leads Big Green on First Day of Dartmouth Invitational

Saturday, September 21

Hanover, N.H.

18 holes

Dartmouth College

Dartmouth Invitational

Junior captain Jason Liu

Photo by: Bryan LaFountaine

Liu Leads Big Green on First Day of Dartmouth Invitational

9/21/2019 6:18:00 PM | Men's Golf

First-Round Results

The junior captain shot a 2-under 69 in the opening round

By: Rick Bender

HANOVER, N.H. — Junior Jason Liu carded a 2-under 69 in the opening round of the Dartmouth Invitational at Hanover Country Club on Saturday, helping the Big Green finished the day in a tie for third at 1-under par with a 283. Rhode Island leads the 12-team field at 5-under par, four strokes ahead of Dartmouth, with only Drexel (-3) between the two.

On a sunny day with the temperature touching 80 degrees, the Big Green golfers teed off at 9:30 in the morning and got hotter as the day warmed up on the par-71, 6,472-yard course. The Dartmouth five sank three birdies on the front nine as a group, then dropped a dozen on the back nine to stay within striking distance of the Rams. Liu had six birdies himself, tied for third most among the 74 golfers in the field.

Liu's first two birdies came on the third and fourth holes before reaching the turn at 1-under. He quickly birdied 10 and 11 before suffering three straight bogeys. He righted his ship, however, with birdies on the final two holes to put him in a tie for seventh with his 69 (-2).

Both senior Will Bednarz and sophomore Charles Petrie finished the day at even par thanks to birdies for each on 18. Bednarz was consistent overall with 14 pars, while Petrie had 13 to go with three birdies.

Sophomore Sam Ohno also contributed to the team score with a 1-over 72 as he sank three birdies on the back nine, including 18 to gie Dartmouth four birdies on the finishing hole. Rounding out the Big Green five was sophomore Mark Turner with a 2-over 73, who overcame a shaky start to par 12 of the final 13 holes with a birdie on 10.

Dartmouth had four players on the course competing as individuals as well with freshman Eli Thrasher having the best day at even par in his collegiate debut. Like Bednarz, the rookie made par on 14 holes and dropped two birdies. Sophomore Riley Griffin was just a stroke behind Thrasher with 15 pars to his credit.

Drexel's Alex Butler enjoyed the best round of the day with a stellar 7-under 64 with eight birdies. Jack Brown of Siena (-5) and Chris Francoeur of Rhode Island (-4) sit second and third, respectively, with a trio of players four back of the lead.

The second and final round will feature a shotgun start on Sunday at 8:45 a.m.