RICHMOND, Va. – Men's golf season is underway in AggieLand.
North Carolina A&T opened the 2022-23 season at the VCU Shootout hosted by Virginia Commonwealth University at the par-72, 6,927-yard The Country Club of Richmond Tuckahoe Creek golf course.
The Aggies played quality golf, but 12 of the 14 teams at the VCU Shootout shot under par over the first 36 holes of the event. After the first day, A&T is in 13th place by shooting a 7-over 583. Host VCU leads the tournament after firing off a 27-under 549. A&T's fellow Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) member Rhode Island University (RIU), is in second place, a shot off the lead at 26-under 550.
The Rhode Island Rams are followed by George Washington (22-under, 554), Old Dominion (21-under, 555) and Charleton Southern (20-under, 556).
A&T's low score came from graduate Diego Gonzalez. Gonzalez is at even par after his sizzling play in the first round. George Washington's Jakub Hrinda leads the tournament with an 11-under 133. He is followed by William & Mary's Matthew Feinstein (10-under, 134) in second place. Old Dominion's Jakob Chicoyne, RIU's Brandon Gillis and Liberty's Josh Ryan are in a three-way, third-place tie 9-under, 135.
Coming off a career season in 2021-22, Gonzalez looked even better to start the 2022-23 season. Gonzalez played a bogey-free first round. He started the tournament at the par-5, 535-yard No. 12. He parred the first four holes before placing his first birdie of the season on his card with a three on the par-4, 389-yard 16th. Gonzalez then birdied the par-5, 559-yard 18th to move to 2-under on the round. Gonzalez stayed at 2-under over the next three holes until he putted his third birdie of the round on the par-4 fourth.
His final birdie of the round occurred on the par-4, 407-yard No. 6 as he moved to 4-under on the round. Gonzalez's second round started solid but did not end that way. He parred his first six holes to stay at 4-under, but after 24 straight holes without a bogey, he bogeyed the 18th, the first and the third holes to increase his score to 1-under on the day. Hole No. 5 got him back on track as he birdied the 524-yard par-5.
He then moved to 3-under with a birdie on the 406-yard, par-4 ninth to go to 3-under for the day. However, he had an unfortunate triple bogey on the 11th. It moved him to even par as he finished in a tie for 48th.
Martin Guiterrez and newcomer Drew Walker are in a tie for 56th. Gutierrez, who is back for his second season as an Aggie, finished the day at 2-over. After six bogeys in the first round, he looked superb in the second. Gutierrez had his first career round in the 60's as he shot a 69 in Round 2. He carded five birdies after starting the round on the par-3, 174-yard, 14th. Then, he birdied the 15th, the 16th and the par-5, 564-yard first to move to 2-over on the day.
He did bogey the third hole before bouncing back to score a two on the par-3 eighth. A bogey on nine and a birdie on 11th led to Gutierrez at 3-under for the second round. Walker shot even par in the first round after carding three birdies and three bogeys. He moved to 1-under with a birdie on the 400-yard, par-4, 17th. But a double-bogey on one and a bogey on two moved him to 2-over. He parred his final nine holes to end the day.
Newcomer Carson Witherspoon shot a 4-over 148 to close out the scoring for the Aggies. Anthony Ford, Jr. shot 12-over. The second round begins at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, with a shotgun start. The 14 teams will play 18 holes.
