NICHOLASVILLE, KY – Little East Conference Player-of-the-Year Ashton Lewis (Fairfield) shares 51^st place in a field of 221 golfers after the first day of the 2023 NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championship Tuesday at Keene Trace Golf Club.

As a team, LEC champion Eastern  is 33^rd among 43 teams with an 18-hole total of 314. Among six New England institutions in the event, Eastern is fourth. Middlebury College (307) is tied for 25^th, Endicott College (309) tied for 29^th, Husson University (310) tied for 31^st, followed by Eastern, Salem State University (322) and Saint Joseph College, ME (343) 43^rd.

Playing No. 1, Lewis shot two-under 34 on the front nine and four-over 40 on the back nine for a two-over 74 after 18 holes and is among 27 players tied for 51^st in a field of 221 golfers; playing No. 3, sophomore Chris Davidson (New Milford) was four strokes behind Lewis after shooting a three-over 39 on both the front and back nine for a six-over par 78;  playing No. 2, sophomore Matthew Orefice (Niantic) – who joined the program in the spring -- shot three-over 39 on the front and five-over 41 on the back nine and is eight-over 80 after 18, six strokes behind the team leader; playing No. 4, sophomore Cal Angelo (Southington) shot four-over 40 on the front and six-over 42 on the back and stands ten-over with an 18-hold total of 82; and playing No. 5, senior Andrew Gromko (Canterbury) shot two-over 38 and nine-over 45 and is 11-over 83 after 18 holes.

Behind Lewis, Davidson is tied for 130^th, Orefice tied for 158^th, Angelo tied for 184^th and Gromko tied for 193^rd.

Among players representing New England institutions, only Sean McGarrity of Middlebury College is ahead of Lewis. McGarrity  is tied for seventh overall with a three-under 69, with Will Pierce of Endicott at stroke behind Lewis and tied for 78^th.

The tournament consists of 72 holes over four days at the par-72 course. After tomorrow's 18 holes, the original field of 43 teams will be cut to 18.

Over 18 holes, Lewis had four birdies, ten pars, two bogies and two double bogies; Davidson two birdies, nine pars, six bogies and a double bogie; Orefice six birdies, seven pars,  three bogies and two double bogies; Angelo one birdie,  eight pars, seven bogies and two double bogies; and Gromko a birdie, nine pars, five bogies, two double bogies and one triple bogie.

Lewis  had four birdies and four pars on the front nine and parred five of the first six holes on the back nine. After bogeying three of the first six holes on the back nine, Davidson finished with four consecutive pars, one coming on the 516 yard 15th hole.  He also birdied the 511 hard fifth hole.

Saint John's University (MN) leads the field with a four-under 284, one shot ahead of Illinois Wesleyan University and two strokes ahead of Christopher Newport University. Defending national champion Methodist University is four strokes off the pace with an even par total of 288.

Par 72 (36-36)
Player                             Front      Back        Total      
Ashton Lewis                      34           40           74           +2
Chris Davidson                   39           39           78           +6
Matthew Orefice                 39           41           80           +8
Cal Angelo                          40           42           82           +10
Andrew Gromko                  38           45           83           +11