USAFA, Colo. — Freshman Mark Stephens shot an even-par 72 in his first collegiate round to finish in a tie for 19th and UC Davis opened play at the 51st annual Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational in a tie for seventh as a team after the first round on Friday afternoon at the Eisenhower Golf Course.

Host Air Force leads the tournament with a 9-under par 279, leading a group of three other teams at par or better after the first day. The Aggies shot a 4-over-par 292, standing in a three-way tie for seventh with Utah State and Southern Utah.

Wyoming's Carl Underwood leads the pack following a 7-under-par 65, with host Air Force placing five players in the top 10 on their home course after 18 holes.

Finishing 2-over on the back nine after a birdie on 11, Stephens rallied with a strong front nine thanks to birdies on the first and fifth holes, and rebounded from a bogey on six with a birdie on the final hole of the day.

Junior teammate Thomas Hutchison finished a shot behind with a 1-over 73 to tie for 31st, opening his round with birdies on two of his first three holes of the days, while sophomore Daniel Kim started his day with a 1-under 35 on the back nine, but finished with bogeys on three of his final five holes to end the day even with Hutchison at 1-over.

Freshman Lucas Carper is tied for 43rd with a 2-over 74 in his first career collegiate start, finishing with three birdies on the back nine en route to a 1-under 35 before fading on the front, and was matched by sophomore Shane Muldowney, finished with four birdies on the day en route to his 74.

The second round is scheduled to tee off on Saturday morning at 7:30 a.m. MT.

51st ANNUAL GENE MIRANDA FALCON INVITATIONAL
Eisenhower Course (USAFA, Calif.)
Par 72 • 7,511 Yards

TEAM SCORES (after 18 holes)
1. Air Force, 279
2. Wyoming, 282
3. Northern Colorado, 284
4. Colorado, 288
5. Weber State, 290
6. CSUN, 291
t7. UC DAVIS, 292
t7. Utah State, 292
t7. Southern Utah, 292
10. Boise State, 293
11. UTEP, 294
t12. Texas State, 296
t12. Drake, 296
t12. Valparaiso, 296
15. New Mexico State, 300
16. Utah Valley, 301
17. Cal Baptist, 303
18. SIU Edwardsville, 304

INDIVIDUAL SCORES (after 18 holes)
(Leaders plus UC Davis scores)

1. Carl Underwood, Wyoming, 65 (-7)
t19. Mark Stephens, UC Davis, 72 (E)
t31. Thomas Hutchison, UC Davis, 73 (+1)
t31. Daniel Kim, UC Davis, 73 (+1)
t43. Lucas Carper, UC Davis, 74 (+2)
t43. Shane Muldowney, UC Davis, 74 (+2)

ABOUT UC DAVIS
Providing a small-town community feel while providing a world-class academic experience, UC Davis is home to more than 37,000 students and centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley. The No. 5-ranked public university in the nation according to the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education, and among the top 10 public universities nationwide according to U.S. News and World Report, UC Davis offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 academic majors across four colleges and six professional schools, ranking among the world and nation's best in numerous disciplines, including veterinary science, agriculture, and plant and animal programs.

AGGIE EVO
Launched in 2017-18, the Aggie EVO System is UC Davis Athletics' investment in the primary mission of preparing student-athletes for a successful "launch" after graduation. Thanks to a collaboration of alumni, university resources, corporate partners, coaches and Student-Athlete Outcomes staff, all Aggies are guided over four years to acquire the skills, knowledge, opportunities and tools to better know and navigate the "World of Work" after graduating from UC Davis. Follow the Aggie EVO system on Twitter and Instagram at @AggieEVO.

MARYA WELCH INITIATIVE
Named after the former physical education instructor, coach and Dean of Women who founded women's sports on the campus 25 years before the passage of Title IX, the Marya Welch Initiative for Women's Athletics provides comprehensive support for UC Davis' 16 women's athletics programs. Through the support of the Marya Welch Initiative and its group members, student-athletes are provided the best possible opportunity to succeed inside the classroom, and in competition, through special project gifts and by increasing visibility and participation at women's events throughout the year. All gifts to the Marya Welch Initiative are matched 1:1, doubling the impact on our women's programs. Visit https://give.ucdavis.edu/ATHG/324041 for more information.