Men's Golf Shatters UNC Records

Thursday, February 8

Waimea, Hawai'i (Mauna Lani North Course)

All Day

North Carolina

Amer Ari Invitational Day One

February 8, 2024 | Men's Golf

By: Steve Kirschner

David Ford shot 8-under 64 and Maxwell Ford and Dylan Menante fired a pair of 65s to lead the University of North Carolina to a record-shattering day and the lead in the opening round of the Amer Ari Invitational Thursday at the Mauna Lani North Course in Waimea, Hawai'i.

The second-ranked Tar Heels shot 26-under-par 262 to set single-round UNC records for the fewest strokes and most shots below par.

The previous stroke record was 265 in the second round of the 2021 ACC Championship at the Capital City Club's Crabapple Course in Milton, Ga.

The previous record for score to par was 20 under in the second round of the UNCG Bridgestone Collegiate at Forest Oaks Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., in October 2010.

The Tar Heels have a three-shot lead over Arizona State. Texas Tech is third (-21), Oklahoma State is 18 under and No. 1-ranked Auburn is fifth at 16 under. Seventeen of the 20 teams in the field shot below par.

David Ford is fourth in the individual standings, two strokes behind Oklahoma State's Preston Stout, who shot 10-under 62. Arizona State's Wenyi Ding and Texas Tech's Matthew Comegys are tied for second at 9-under 63.

David Ford eagled the par-5 521-yard second hole, made six birdies and no bogeys for 64. It was the fifth time the No. 2 ranked collegiate player in the nation shot 64 or better as a Tar Heel.

Maxwell Ford, ranked third in the country, matched his best round as a Tar Heel with eight birdies and a bogey for 65.

Menante, the sixth-ranked amateur in the world, and Peter Fountain were among the four players to lead the field with nine birdies. Fountain finished at 4-under 68.

Austin Greaser shot 2-under 70 and freshman Hampton Roberts is tied for a 12^th after shooting a collegiate-best 67 as an individual entry. Roberts was one of four players to shoot 5 under par on the par-5 holes.

Carolina's five starters totaled 39 birdies (nine more than any other team) and an eagle.

Round two of three is Friday.