WAYNESBORO, Pa. – The Swarthmore College men's golf team delivered its best performance of the season on the opening day of the Centennial Championships, shooting a team score of 286 to finish two-under par and take first place after Friday's round. The Garnet hold a narrow one-stroke lead over Gettysburg College.

Yuxuan Wang sits in a three-way tie for the lead after today's action. The sophomore shot two-under par with four birdies and just two bogeys to card a 70 for the round. He was joined in the top-10 by teammates Dylan Zhang, Andy Xin, and Max Ash. Zhang finished one-under to take fourth, while Xin and Ash followed in sixth and eighth, respectively. Both Xin and Ash recorded five birdies to tie for the tournament lead in that category.

As a team, the Garnet tied for the fourth-lowest round in program history and matched their second-best round ever at the Centennial Championships. Swarthmore also recorded its best-ever start at the tournament, posting the lowest opening-round score in program history at the championships.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Wang got off to a strong start with a bogey-free front nine that included three birdies. He encountered a couple of bogeys on the back nine but bounced back with a birdie on the 12th to finish two-under for the round. The standout sophomore sits in a three-way tie for first overall, alongside golfers from Franklin & Marshall and Gettysburg.

- Zhang turned in a steady performance to open play, finishing one-under for the round. The junior carded two birdies and one bogey on the front nine, then added a birdie and a bogey on the back. He enters tomorrow's action in a two-way tie for fourth overall.

- Xin shot one-over on the front nine but caught fire on the back, reeling off four straight birdies on holes 11 through 14. Despite giving back three strokes over the final two holes, the junior finished even for the round and sits in a tie for sixth place.

- Ash battled to a top-10 finish after shooting two-over on the front nine. The sophomore bounced back with four of his tournament-leading five birdies on the back nine but ran into some trouble with three bogeys down the stretch. He finished the round at one-over and is tied for eighth overall.

- Judah Fulchiero overcame four early bogeys to finish two-over par, placing him in a tie for 14th. The first-year erased some of his early struggles with one of the day's only eagles on the par-five eighth hole. He then played the back nine evenly with two birdies and a double bogey.

UP NEXT
The Garnet look to increase its lead in tomorrow's second round action.