June 1, 2005

Owings Mills, MD - Senior All-American Michael Putnam carded a 3-under par 67 during the opening round of the 2005 Division I NCAA Men's Golf Championships at the par-70 Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Maryland, on Wednesday and is tied for fourth place after 18 holes.

Putnam, who qualified as an individual is tied with four other golfers, two shots off the lead. Georgia's Kevin Kisner and Augusta State's Major Manning shot rounds 5-under 65 to share the first-round lead.

Georgia Southern's Aaron Price is alone in third place posting a 4-under 66.

Second-round action in the 72-hole event continues on the Thursday and continues with third and fourth-round action on Friday and Saturday.

Putnam, who was even on his round through 12 holes, birdied three of his final six holes to finish at 3-under par.