Blue Devils in Fourth After First Round in Norman

NORMAN, Okla. – Following a short weather delay to start the day, the Duke men’s golf team shot a 5-under, 283, and is in fourth place after the first 18 holes of action at the Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club. Kelly Chinn and Luke Sample led the way for the Blue Devils at the Norman Regional, after opening rounds of 3-under, 69, on Monday.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The start of Monday’s play was delayed until late morning due to weather.
• As a team, Duke shot a 5-under, 283, in the first round.
• The Blue Devils are currently in fourth place, five shots behind the leader, Texas Tech. The top five teams after 54 holes of competition advance to the NCAA Championship in Scottsdale, Ariz., held on May 26-31.
• Kelly Chinn carded his 11th round in the 60’s this season with his 3-under, 69. Starting his day on No. 10, Chinn quickly got into red numbers with birdies on No. 11 and No. 13. He finished his first nine holes at 2-under and started the front nine with his third birdie of the day on No. 1, a 472-yard par-4. The Great Falls, Va., native closed out his opening round with eight straight pars to cap off a bogey-free start to regional play.
• The second 3-under, 69, on Monday was turned in by Luke Sample. An up and down opening nine holes was highlighted by birdies on No. 10, 16 and 18, but dropped shots on No. 12 and 17 led to the sophomore finishing off his opening nine at even-par. The New York, N.Y., native caught fire on the front nine, rolling in four straight birdies on holes No. 2 through 5, moving to 4-under for the tournament and into the top five on the leaderboard. A bogey on No. 8 dropped Sample to 3-under for his opening round.
• Ian Siebers signed for an even-par, 72, on Monday. The junior got to 1-under after rolling in a birdie on the par-5 13th and held steady for the remainder of the back nine, going bogey free and moving to the front under par. After a bogey on No. 2, Siebers steadied himself with five pars over the next five holes, before a birdie-bogey finish on No. 8 and 9 to wrap up the opening round.
• William Love began his tournament with seven consecutive pars, before a double-bogey on No. 17. The freshman battled back as the round continued, converting for birdie on the par-3 third and par-5 eighth before a bogey on No. 9 ended his round at 1-over, 73.
• Also for Duke, Ethan Evans signed…