SUNRISE, Mo. (Sept. 11) – Big second-round improvement moved Central Oklahoma up the leaderboard and left the Bronchos in fourth place after first-day play in the season-opening Lincoln Invitational Monday.

UCO struggled in the morning round with a 304 at the 7,060-yard, par-72 The Club at Porto Cima before bouncing back in the afternoon, trimming off 14 shots for an afternoon 290. That left the Bronchos with a 594 total, 11 shots behind leader Rogers State.

Central Missouri is second in the 13-team tournament at 588, followed by Missouri Southern (591) and UCO. Final-round play in the 54-hole tournament is Tuesday.

"We got off to a rough start and put ourselves in a hole," head coach Derrick Thompson said. "We didn't drive the ball well, which is something you really need to do on this course, but came back and played a lot better in the afternoon."

Bennett Baldwin led the Bronchos with rounds of 76-71, leaving him tied for seventh in the individual standings with a 147 total. Evan Griffith (75-74) and Baylor Bostick (76-73) were both at 149, while Ross Taylor (80-72) and Dylan Henderson (77-75) had 152 totals.

Nick Canales fired consecutive one-over-par 73s for a 146 total that has him tied for fifth playing as an individual medalist for UCO.