CAMBRIDGE LEADS AFTER BOGEY-FREE 68 ON WILD OPENING DAY AT NJCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

PLYMOUTH, Ind. — Noah Cambridge shot a bogey-free, 4-under-par 68 to grab the lead after Day 1 of the 2025 NJCAA Men's Golf Championship, battling through rain, wind and multiple weather delays Monday at Swan Lake Resort.

Play began on time at 7 a.m. ET under steady rain, but the round was anything but smooth. There were three total stoppages. One was a brief delay to push water off the greens, and two full suspensions of play due to worsening conditions.

"It was like playing at home for Noah," said head coach Chris Griffin. "He's from the UK, and it was about 45 degrees, raining, and the wind was blowing 25 miles an hour—so he was right at home."

Cambridge's steady play in brutal conditions separated him from the field and gave his team a needed boost on a day when most struggled to find rhythm. Griffin wasn't surprised by the performance.

"He's got a world of talent," said Griffin. "We all knew it. He's come close to winning a couple tournaments, so this couldn't be a better one to win."

Roane State finished the opening round in sixth place with a team score of 11-over-par, positioning themselves 6th in the Championship standings. The weather delays pushed many teams into the late afternoon, with some players finishing just before dark.

"It's a long day for Round 1," Griffin said. "But fortunately for us, we've played in some real windy conditions this spring, so these guys were somewhat ready for it."

Despite the challenges, Griffin's team turned in one of its cleanest rounds of the season.

"We're focusing on not making the big numbers," Griffin said. "Those are detrimental in golf. We had five players out there today, and only two scores were worse than a bogey. That was definitely our best performance of the year."

Heading into Day 2, Griffin hopes for a repeat from Cambridge and improved scores from the middle of the lineup.

"We want to hold serve," he said. "Tripp Hall, Colby Johnson, and Jetson Murrell—we've got to get a little better play from them, and let Noah go back out and repeat what he did today. They'll need to stay relaxed."

With the unpredictable Indiana spring weather expected to persist, the opening round set the tone for what could be a grueling test of patience, resilience and precision the rest of the week.