NOBLESVILLE, Ind. – David Perkins battled the weather – which included a nearly-consistent rainfall – as he closed the first day of the 2021 NCAA Noblesville Regional with an opening-round 71, one stroke under par, and in a tie for 11th place in the 75-person field.
The top five teams in the field advance to the NCAA Championships, while the top individual not on one of the five advancing teams also earns a spot at the Championships.
Perkins enters the second day of the regional one stroke off the spot to advance to the NCAA Championships as an individual, and is tied for the second-highest individual in the field, as there are five other golfers tied with him at a stroke under par.
"It was a grind out there with the weather and I didn't have my best ball-striking day," said Perkins. "I grinded, stayed in there, and made some clutch putts, and I'm excited to get back out there tomorrow. It looks like some more rain coming so it will be another grind, but I'm happy."
After a tournament-opening bogey, Perkins responded quickly with an eagle on the 538-yard par-five second hole – one of just six eagles on the day in the tournament, and the only person in the field to eagle the second hole. He followed that with a birdie and then a double bogey after going in the water on the par-three fourth hole to push back to a stroke over par.
Perkins settled in with four consecutive pars as he birdied the par-four ninth hole to make the turn at even par.
He started his back nine with another birdie, dropping him to a stroke under par, where he stayed after six consecutive pars. A bogey on the 17th hole pushed back to even par, before he closed his day strong with a birdie on the 554-yard par-five 18th hole to put him back at a stroke under par with 36 holes to play in the tournament.
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