PENSACOLA, Fla. – UWF freshman Per Ekelund turned in the two lowest rounds of his rookie season to grab the 36-hole lead at the Argonaut Invitational at Pensacola Country Club on Monday.
 
Ekelund had rounds of 66 and 70 for an 8-under-par 136 score. His 66 was one of four in the field and tied for the seventh-lowest in tournament history.
 
Georgia Southwestern's Payne Sells is a stroke back at 66-71=137. Sells came into the week with the lowest score of any returning player from last season's weather-shortened 36-hole event. He had a 73 and 69 on the first day in 2023.
 
UWF's Eddie Lee, Fabian Wennerlof and Coker's Derek McGlaughlin are tied for third with at 139.
 
In the team standings, No. 4 GSW handled the 15-to-20 mile-per-hour afternoon wind as well as anyone, shooting an 8-under-par 280 to go with their 283 from the first round for a 563 score. No. 23 Coker is in second at 568, followed by No. 17 UWF and No. 5 Oklahoma Christian at 569. Top-ranked North Georgia is fifth at 570, with the UWF 'B' team in sixth at 576.
 
Jack Burbee was the only other Argonaut in red numbers and sits in a 13-way tie for 15th place at 67-76-143.
 
Wednesday's final round will begin at 8:30 a.m. off Nos. 1 and 10 tees. The first UWF groups will be at 9:15 off No. 1.