HARMONY, Fla. – Thanks to its best round of the year, St. Bonaventure is in third place after Friday's opening round of the Atlantic 10 Golf Championship, which is being played at Harmony Golf Preserve outside Orlando.
The Bonnies posted an even par 288 on Friday, which is their lowest team score of the year both overall as well as in relation to par.
Davidson is leading the Championship at 284 (-4), two shots better than VCU. Dayton is one shot behind St. Bonaventure at 289.
Junior Patrick Milkovich led a balanced lineup with a two-under par round of 70. Milkovich was one over par before he birdied the 15th hole and eagled the par five 16th to post his first under par round this season.
Junior Josh Stauffer was next for the Bonnies at even-par 72 while freshman Patrick Sheerer and senior Daniel Dunnigan both posted 73. St. Bonaventure had the luxury of not counting a 74 from freshman Corey Long. Stauffer was three-under through nine holes, then had stretch of four bogeys in five holes on the back nine before he rallied with a birdie on 16 and pars on the final two holes. Dunnigan's 73 was a season low in relation to par while Sheerer tied his season low score.
All four of the Bonnies counting players are in the top 20 of the tournament. Milkovich is tied for sixth, Stauffer sits in a tie for 13th, and Sheerer and Dunnigan are tied for 18th. Jack Persons of George Washington and VCU's Adam Ball are tied for the lead, both at 66.
Rhode Island and George Washington are tied for fifth place at 292 while Richmond and Saint Joseph's are tied for seventh place at 294 followed by George Mason (296) in ninth, La Salle (299) and Fordham (307).
The second and third rounds of the championship will be played Saturday and Sunday.
