SALISBURY, N.C. — Alex Hodge shot an even par 71 in the opening round of the Richard Rendleman Invitational Monday afternoon to take a one-shot lead individually, while the Walters State golf team sits in sixth place after an opening team score of 319 at The Country Club of Salisbury.

The Senators sit 27 shots out of first place, as Lenoir-Rhyne leads the field at 8-over par 292. Cape Fear is second after shooting a 294, while Belmont Abbey (B) is third at 303. Catawba, the host team, is fourth at 310, followed by Montevallo at 311 to round out the top five.

Walters State leads the next five at 319, followed by Pfeiffer (321), Davis & Elkins (336), Chowan (339) and Belmont Abbey (C) at 342 in the 10-team field.

Hodge's round was the highlight of the day for the Senators, as the next three scores that counted for the team ranged from Andrew Linkous with an 81 to tie for 33rd, Dane Rheinecker with an 82 to tie for 40th and Christofer Schaff with an 85 to tie for 49th. Hunter Blanken sits in 53rd place after carding an opening 87.

There is a three-way tie for second behind Hodge, as Catawba's Tanner Bibey, Montevallo's Gary King and Lenoir-Rhyne's Brad Robinson all finished at 1-over par 72. There are nine players sitting within two shots of the lead entering Tuesday's final round.