WINTER GARDEN, Fla. – If UWF's freshmen TJ Thompson and Per Ekelund were nervous about playing in their first NCAA Championship, they sure didn't show it.
 
Thompson shot a 5-under-par 66, putting himself in a tie for third place after the first round of the 2024 NCAA Division II Men's Golf Championship. He made five birdies, two bogeys and an eagle on the par 5, 17th hole at Orange County National's Crooked Cat Course to post his lowest scoring of the season.
 
Ekelund was also dialed in on Tuesday, signing for a 68 by playing the final 10 holes at 4-under-par on his way to a 12th-place standing.
 
Sophomore Cooper Tendick and junior Mason Minkel each shot a 72, while junior Fabian Wennerlof ended the day with a 74.
 
The No. 8 ranked Argos were in the first five groups of the day beginning at 7:30 a.m., playing the front nine at 1-under and the back nine at 4-under. They tied their playing partners Grand Valley State with a 5-under 279. The temperatures started in the low-70s before climbing to near 90 degrees around 1 p.m.
 
No. 5 Colorado Christian and No. 6 Oklahoma Christian leads the 20-team field at 7-under following the first 18 holes. UWF and GV are tied for third place and are along a group of eight teams that played the 7,419-yard layout to under par.
 
UWF will play with Grand Valley and Indiana (Pa.) in Wednesday's second round. The teams will start on No. 1 at 11:10 a.m.