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Chandler PhillipsChandler Phillips
Southeastern Conference
Men's Golf

Aggies Open Play at Albuquerque Regional

The Texas A&M men's golf team sits in eighth place on a tight leaderboard after the opening round of the NCAA Albuquerque Regional at the UNM Championship Course.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The Texas A&M men's golf team sits in eighth place on a tight leaderboard after the opening round of the NCAA Albuquerque Regional at the UNM Championship Course.
 
The Aggies (296, +8) are just 10 shots behind leader Arizona State (-2) after the first 18 holes of the event, which will send the top five teams in the final standings to the NCAA Championship at Eugene Country Club in Eugene, Ore., May 27-June 1.
 
"We played pretty well today until the finishing holes," Texas A&M head coach J.T. Higgins said. "We did not get it done coming in and it cost us."
 
Second-team All-SEC performer and Aggie freshman Chandler Phillips (71, -1) enjoyed a solid showing during his first appearance at an NCAA Regional, ending the opening round in a tie for fifth place and just two shots behind co-leaders Jon Rahm of Arizona State and Rigel Fernandes of South Florida.
 
Texas A&M senior Adria Arnaus (74, +2) also owns a spot in the top 25 of the individual standings, holding a share of 24th, while sophomore Cameron Champ (75, +3) and senior Andrew Lister (76, +4) are within striking distance in 35th and 40th place, respectively.
 
Senior Ben Crancer (+5), meanwhile, will attempt to improve on an opening round 77 that left him in a tie for 53rd.
 
"We're still in great shape and just four shots off the top five in the standings," Higgins added. "We've got a lot of golf left to play so we'll regroup, come back tomorrow and try to put some better scores on the board."
 
The Aggies resume the 54-hole tournament with the event's second round on Tuesday at 9 a.m. (CT) when they will be paired alongside golfers from Liberty and New Mexico.