GALESBURG, Ill. ­— Senior Gabriel Newman carded a 4-over 76 in the opening round of the Prairie Fire Fall Classic on Knox College's home course at Soantehaga Country Club on Saturday, tying for sixth on the leaderboard with a 329 (+41)and helping Knox end the day in sixth place among the nine competing teams. Augustana College (303, +15) holds a slim one-stroke advantage over Southwestern Community College (Iowa).

Newman began the round on the par-72, 6,555-yard course on the third hole for the shotgun start this morning, and after six holes was 2-over with a pair of bogeys. On the 330-yard, par-4 ninth hole, he sank his lone birdie (one of just three for the Prairie Fire on the day), then played the back nine at 1-over with eight pars. He dropped back on his final two holes, however, with bogeys on each to settle for his 76, four strokes behind the leader, Hunter Beasley of Lyon College.

Junior Nathaniel Zug had a consistent day with 10 pars and eight bogeys to finish up at 8-over par (80), tied for 19th. Right behind Zug was senior Pranav Nandakumar with an 81 (+9), including a birdie on the 164-yard, par-3 12th hole, leaving him in a tie for 23rd.

• Senior Saransh Raina supplied the final scoring round with a 92, putting him in 42nd place.
• First-year Jaxson Forman provided the other Prairie Fire birdie today, also on the 12th hole.
• The course proved to be difficult today with an average round of just over 84 for the 53 players in the field.

The tournament concludes with the second round that begins on Sunday morning at 10 a.m.