It is a long way to the finish line, but Lee will have a deep hole to dig its way out of after posting a 304 team score in the opening round of the NAIA Men's Golf Championship on Tuesday.
Oklahoma City zoomed to a 14-stroke lead in the 72-hole event being staged on the 6887-yard Creekside Golf Club course. Grand View (Iowa), Johnson & Wales (Fla.), Bellevue (Neb.), Faulkner (Ala.) and British Columbia remain in striking distance in the 28-team field.
The Flames are in the middle of the pack (16th) and are being led by Matt Emery, who finished with an even-par 72 and is tied for 13th in the individual standings.
JB Eksteen is tied for 33rd after a round of 74. Hunter Vest stands at 75, but Peyton Sliger slipped to an 83 and Florian Loutre came in at 85.
"You can't count an 83 and expect to have a good team score," pointed out coach John Maupin. "We counted too many big numbers and I thought we rushed too much at times. Matt and JB played well, and Hunter battled hard to get back in there. We need someone else to step up."
Oklahoma City's Anthony Marchesani is the individual tourney leader with a solid 4-under 68. His teammate, Sondre Ronold and Colin Brennan of Johnson & Wales are one stroke back at 69 and four other golfers came in at 70.