BLAINE, Wash. – The New Mexico State Aggies opened the 2016 Western Athletic Conference Men's Golf Championship with a 301 to sit fourth after the first round action at the Loomis Trail Golf Club at the Semiahmoo Resort.
 
The Aggies are 18 strokes behind leader Missouri-Kansas City that posted a 5-under-par 283. The 'Roos have a seven stroke lead on Seattle U. at 2-over 290 and 10 up on third place Utah Valley at 5-over 293.
 
NM State was led by the play of senior Kenneth Fadke II of Hobbs, N.M., and junior Luis Medina of Guadalajara, Mexico/Montverde Academy, who both toured the par 72, 7,137-yard Loomis Trail Course in 2-over 74 to tie for 12th individually.
 
Fadke struggled on the front nine, with five bogeys and a birdie to make the turn at 4-over, then blistered the back side with three consecutive birdies before a bogey five on the par 4 17th as he finished at 2-over.
 
Medina was up and down during the round, using five birdies to offset three bogeys during the first 15 holes, only to go bogey, double bogey, bogey to close out the round at 2-over.
 
Sophomore Isaac Merry of Las Cruces, N.M./Onate carded a 4-over 76 for a tie at 20th after Saturday play, while sophomore Mike McGilton from Chandler, Ariz./Perry, added a 5-over 77.
 
Freshman Davis Chung of Las Cruces, N.M./High turned in a 6-over 78. Chung picked up on of the day's five eagles on the 506-yard par 5 11th hole.
 
UVU's Perry Wright leads the individual competition by five strokes. Wright fired a 5-under 67 in opening round play. Seattle U.'s Ross Kukula and UMKC's Antoine Rozner are tied for second at 2-under 70. UMKC's Jacob Garstecki, Thibault Vieilledent and Francois Lagraulet are all tied in fourth at 1-under 71.
 
The Aggies will again be paired with Utah Valley for round two of the tournament. The Aggies and Wolverines open action at 10:20 Mountain time at Loomis Trail.
 
Live scoring for the tournament is available and a link is provided on NMStateSports.com.