GORHAM, ME – The SJC golf team is in fourth place with a 313 team card after the first 18 holes of the 2011 USM Fall Classic. With a 77 card, sophomore Kevin Richardson (Coventry, Conn.) leads a group of four Monks with sub-80 scores and sits in a tie for 10th place overall.

Endicott College, with the three top golfers after the opening round, leads the pack of nine competing teams with a 294 score. Husson (301), Maine-Farmington (308), St. Joe's (313), USM Blue (316), UNE (321), USM Gold (323), Maine-Machias (333) and Emmanuel College (454) round out the team scoring.

Endicott teammates Brett Malboeut and Jack Wyman rank as the individual co-leaders after day one with 72 cards.

For the Monks, Jake Brown '13 (Lewiston, Maine) shot a career-low 78 and is tied for 14th overall while teammates Jeff Hilton '13 (Limington, Maine) and Ebb Walton '12 (Blue Hill, Maine) both turned in a 79 card – a career-best for Hilton - after the opening round. Both golfers finished the day tied for 17th.

Steve Simonds '15 (Steep Falls, Maine) rounded out the Monks' participants with an 83 card.

The last time four SJC golfers handed in sub-80 cards was when the team placed fourth in the Sid Farr Invitational at the Waterville Country Club on September 21st, 2003. The foursome of Joe Manganaro (74), John Destino (77), Chuck Waterman (79) and Jake Huntress (79) was the last quartet to accomplish the feat.

Play resumes at the Gorham Country Club on Monday at 9:30 AM.