AMARILLO, Texas (October 12, 2026) – Freshman Kaden Frierson matched his collegiate-low round twice Monday and Lubbock Christian University opened the Ryan Palmer Invitational with its best team round in more than a year at Amarillo Country Club.
 
The Chaparrals opened the 54-hole event with a 281 (-3) before following with a 287 (+3) in the second round for a 36-hole total of 568 (E). LCU sits fifth in the 15-team field entering Tuesday's final round on the par-71, 6,937-yard layout.

LCU's opening-round 281 was its lowest team score since firing a 274 at the San Juan Intercollegiate on Sept. 23, 2025. That 274 remains the second-lowest round in program history and LCU's lowest opening-round score, making Monday's 281 the second-lowest opening round in program history. The 281 also matched the score LCU posted in the third round of the 2022 Lone Star Conference Championships at Squaw Valley Golf Club in Glen Rose, Texas for a share of the fourth-lowest round in program history, and was the Chaparrals' second-lowest round ever at the Ryan Palmer Invitational. LCU carded a 278 in the third round of the event in 2013.
 
Frierson led the Chaparrals through Monday's 36 holes with consecutive 1-under 70s to sit tied for 16th at 140 (-2). The Austin, Texas, freshman matched his collegiate low in each round and has now recorded three rounds of 70 during his first three tournaments. His first came in the opening round of The Hrnciar last week in Duncan, Okla. Starting both rounds on No. 6, Frierson opened Monday with a 36 on the front side and 34 on the back for his first 70. He followed with a 37-33 split in the second round, playing his first 13 holes in 3-under fashion.
 
Leyton Hiebert continued his recent run of strong play with rounds of 70 and 71 to sit tied for 20th at 141 (-1). Hiebert entered Monday coming off a career-matching 69 in the final round of The Hrnciar and added his third career collegiate round of 70 or better with his opening-round 70. Hiebert has been particularly effective on Amarillo Country Club's par-5 holes, playing them at 5-under through two rounds with a 4.17 scoring average, tied for second-best in the field.
 
Hunter Welch gave LCU three opening-round scores of 70, matching the best round of his Chaparral career. The Midland College transfer followed with a 75 (+4) in Round 2 and sits tied for 45th at 145 (+3).
 
Senior Noel Bondesson opened with an even-par 71, his best round of the season, before carding a 77 in the afternoon. Bondesson is tied for 58th at 148 (+6) and has been one of the field's strongest performers on the par-3 holes, playing them at 1-under with a 2.88 scoring average.
 
Hudson Reagan rebounded from an opening-round 78 with an even-par 71 in Round 2. Reagan's second round was his second score of par or better this season, joining the career-low 68 he posted last week at The Hrnciar. He sits tied for 61st at 149 (+7).
 
Competing as an individual, sophomore Dylan Ford matched the lowest round of his collegiate career with an opening 72 (+1). It was his best score since also shooting 72 at the Oak Tree Invitational on March 16, 2025. Ford followed with a 78 and is tied for 66th at 150 (+8).
 
LCU totaled 34 birdies through Monday's opening two rounds, tied for fourth-most in the field, while adding one eagle (it doesn't include Ford's second round eagle to join Hiebert's eagle, as Ford played individually). The Chaparrals played the par-5 holes at 10-under with a 4.67 scoring average, ranking sixth in that category, and also ranked fifth in par-3 scoring at 3.15 (+6).
 
Hutchinson Community College leads the team standings at 551 after rounds of 279 and 272. Midwestern State and Oklahoma Christian are tied for second at 559, while DBU sits fourth at 560. LCU follows in fifth at 568, three strokes ahead of Texas A&M-Texarkana and four ahead of Westminster and UT Dallas.
 
UT Tyler's Braden Stokes holds the individual lead at 7-under 135 after rounds of 68 and 67. West Texas A&M's David Vega Gerstel is one stroke back at 136, while Hutchinson's Matt Vearncombe and Hugo Duquaine, DBU's Sam Dossey and Cameron's Ludvig Haglund are tied at 137.
 
Monday's second-round 287 matched LCU's second-round score from last season's Ryan Palmer Invitational and also matched the Chaparrals' second-round total from The Hrnciar last week. Before Monday's opening 281, those consecutive 287s in Duncan had represented LCU's lowest team rounds of the season.
 
The Ryan Palmer Foundation Invitational concludes Tuesday with the third and final round beginning at 9 a.m. at Amarillo Country Club.