Men’s Golf Has Record Setting Day at American Championship

Monday, April 27

Sarasota, FL

All Day

Rice University

American Championship

Men’s Golf Has Record Setting Day at American Championship

4/27/2026 3:34:00 PM | Men's Golf

Live Scoring First Round Results Second Round Pairings

By: Tim Andrzejewski (tra3@rice.edu)

Sarasota, Fla. — The Rice Men's Golf team fired the best round in school history to open the American Championship, played at the Ritz Carlton Member's Club in Sarasota, Fla.

The Owls carded a first round 272, tied for second at -16 with Memphis, one stroke behind No. 22 Charlotte. It was their 19^th round of par or better this year, setting a new school record.

Junior Reggie Zhu and senior Lukas Boandl are tied for second-place at -6 after each firing a 66, one stroke behind Memphis' Cian O'Connor.

Zhu had the best start of his career. He began the day with birdies on the first two holes. After a par on three, he birdied the next three, then closed the front nine with back-to-back birdies on eight and nine to shoot 29. He opened the back nine with six straight pars before a birdie on 16 got him to -8. But he closed the day with a double-bogey on the 18^th.

The 66 was his second round in the 60's this year and the seventh of his career. It was also his 12^th round of par or better this year and the 31^st of his career.

Boandl started with three straight pars before running off a string of five straight birdies to make the turn at -5. He added back-to-back birdies on 11 and 12, then another on 15 to get to -8. But he closed with bogeys on 16 and 18.

The 66 was his 12^th round in the 60's this year, setting a new school single season record, and the 26^th of his career. It was also his 22^nd round of par or better this season and the 60^th of his career.

Redshirt junior Henry Daly is tied for ninth-place at -4 after firing a 68, including carding an eagle on the 11^th hole. He has six rounds in the 60's this year and 11 in his career, as well as 16 rounds of par of better this year and 23 in his career.

Sophomore Daniel Zou is tied for 26^th-place at even par, carding a 72 the 17^th round of par or better this year and the 38^th of his career. Freshman Raines Watson posted a one-over 73 to sit in a 33^rd-place tie.

JUSTIN EMIL QUOTABLE

"Reggie (Zhu) got us going early with a phenomenal 29 on the front side. A low round was definitely out there today and we were able to post a good one. It's a horse race from here on out."

NEXT UP

The second round begins tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. CT Rice will tee off at 8:25 from hole No. 1 and will be paired with student-athletes from Charlotte and Memphis.

t2           Rice                                    272        -16
t2           Lukas Boandl                   66          -6
t2           Reggie Zhu                       66          -6
t9           Henry Daly                       68          -4
t26         Daniel Zou                        72          E
t33         Raines Watson                73          +1