BEVERLY, Mass. - The opening round of the 2025 Conference of New England Men’s Golf Championship at Tumble Brook Country Club saw the University of Hartford establish an early lead in both team and individual contention. Posting a steady team total of 294 (+6), the Hawks used consistency across their lineup to build an eight-shot cushion over Endicott College heading into Sunday’s final round.

Western New England University sits in third at 306 (+18), paced by the round’s standout individual performer, Derek Johnson, whose stellar 68 (-4) earned him the top spot on the leaderboard. Johnson’s bogey-free back nine, capped by birdies on holes 14 and 17, gave him a two-stroke advantage over Hartford’s Griffin Lalonde (70, -2). Endicott’s Myles O’Quinn and Wentworth Tech’s Garrett Kendall are tied for third at 73 (+1), keeping themselves firmly in striking distance.

For Hartford, the depth of its roster was on full display, with Tim Kaley, Zack MacMillan, and Manolo Vargas all finishing within the top ten after carding rounds of 74 (+2), 74 (+2), and 76 (+4) respectively. Their collective consistency anchored the Hawks’ effort and positioned them as the team to beat heading into Day 2. Endicott’s steady presence was bolstered by Connor LaCross (75, +3) and Oliver Watson (76, +4), while Western New England received valuable support from Alex Noti (77, +5) and Kyle Klimas (79, +7).

Behind the top three, Roger Williams (311, +23) and Suffolk (314, +26) rounded out the top five, with several individuals still within range to make a move. The leaderboard remains crowded from places six through nine, where UNE (318), Nichols (319), Wentworth (321), and Gordon (328) will look to gain ground on moving day.

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE OF NEW ENGLAND
Originally founded in 1984 as the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), and reconstituted as the Conference of New England (CNE) in 2024, the CNE is an NCAA Division III athletic conference composed of 11 full member and five associate member institutions throughout the New England region. Its membership aims to provide student-athletes with a positive experience in their pursuit of excellence through high academic standards, quality competition and a meaningful student life. The Conference administers championships in 21 intercollegiate sports.