Caleb Badura carded a 78 in the first round of the 2019 NAIA Men’s Golf National Championship played Tuesday and Wednesday morning at the Las Sendas Golf Club in Mesa, Ariz.
Playing in one of the final groupings and beginning on the back nine, Badura was one-under after five holes when he birdied the 424-yard, par 4, 13th hole. The freshman then doubled the 15th and bogied two of his final three holes for a 38 (+3) on the back nine. Badura shot a 40 on the second nine, recording a pair of birdies (2nd and 6th) to go with three pars, two bogies and two doubles. Badura is among 21 players who are tied for 56th place out of 156 golfers.
Ben Hadden (Kansas Wesleyan) is the first round leader with a three-under 68 and is one of three players to be under par after the first 18 holes. Hadden leads both Victor Miron (Texas Wesleyan) and Carl Didrik Fosaas (Keiser) by two strokes.
Texas Wesleyan holds a three-shot lead over Rocky Mountain (Mont.) in the team standings.
Second round play began Wednesday morning at 10:30 am.
