ELLINGTON, Conn. – Defending Little East Conference champion
Ashton Lewis (Fairfield) shot a tournament-leading 1-under par 71 that has helped Eastern Connecticut State University to a six-stroke lead after the first day of the 2002 LEC Men's Golf Championship Thursday at Ellington Ridge Country Club.
A junior, Lewis holds a six-stroke lead over teammates
Chris Davidson (New Milford) and
Jonah Dupuis (Hampton) as the Warriors look to defend their 2021 championship. Lewis was the medalist and Eastern the team winner at the inaugural LEC Championship last year at Rutland (Vt.) Country Club. Lewis was also the medalist and Eastern the team winner at the Little East Invitational in April of 2021 at the Valley Country Club in Warwick, RI.
The final 18 holes are scheduled to begin Friday at 9 a.m. at Ellington Ridge.
With the addition of Keene State College this year, the Little East Conference has expanded to the required six teams in men's golf for the first time in order to receive an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III championship, which is scheduled for May 16-19 at Keene Trace Golf Club in Nicholasville, KY.
Lewis, who has won medalist honors in all four tournaments this year, had three birdies and 13 pars over the first 18 holes. Dupuis and Davidson, who finished 3-4 at last year's LEC Championship, share second place, both having carded 5-over 77s. Sophomore
Cal Angelo (Southington) was fourth for Eastern, 20
th overall, with a 14-over 86.
Like Lewis, Dupuis and Davidson also each collected three birdies. Dupuis parred ten holes, Davidson nine. Lewis shot 2-under through the first nine holes and had a birdie or par on each of the first 14 before bogeying the 15
th and 16
th holes
but recovered to par the final two holes to take a six-stroke lead into Friday play.
Dupuis shot par or better over the final eight holes after ending a string of four straight bogies, checking in at 2-over on the back nine. Davidson shot 1-over 37 on the front nine, birdieing two holes and parring five.
After defeating runner-up Castleton University by 32 strokes at last year's championship, Eastern holds a slim six-stroke lead over the Spartans after the first day. Castleton put all fur of its golfers ahead of Eastern's No. 4. Brady Hathorn and Nick Ojala share fourth place for the Spartans at +6, with Andrew Stefura and Brandon Picard close behind at 8-9 with scores of +8 and +9. Ojala was third a year ago behind Lewis and Dupuis, who finished 1-2 and were separated by only one stroke.
