LEBANON, PA – The Gannon University men's golf team is in second place on after Friday's opening round of the PSAC Championships at Iron Valley Golf Club.

Thanks to an outstanding effort from Shaunak Rama (Bryanston, South Africa), the Golden Knights still have title hopes after the first day of the three-day, 54-hole tournament.

Hoping to win the first PSAC team championship in the history of the men's golf program, the Golden Knights had a rocky start on Friday. They faded to a tie for eighth place in the 10-team tourney at one point before regrouping and steadily moving up the leaderboard.

Gannon closed the day at 8-over-par 296 and was eight shots behind three-time defending champion Indiana University of Pennsylvania, which finished at even-par 288. Millersville (299) was in third, three strokes back of the Knights.

Gannon won all five of its previous tournaments during the fall season, including two events that featured IUP.

Rama, a sophomore, emerged as the individual leader after shooting a 5-under-par 67. He had two birdies on the front nine on the way to a 2-under-par 34. He stayed at 2-under until the 13th when he shot an eagle 3 on the par-5 hole. He birdied Nos. 15 and 16 to move to 6-under before bogeying No. 17. IUP's Jackson Buccigross was in second place after carding a 4-unver 68.

Rama already has one individual title this season. He finished as the medalist at Gannon's rain-shortened Howard "Bud" Elwell Invitational in September.

Gannon senior Abe Holmes (Barrie, Ontario/Barrie North Collegiate) shot a 2-over-par 74, including four bogeys and two birdies, and was tied for seventh place. He won the individual title in four of Gannon's five fall tournaments.

Rounding out Gannon's scoring were Ryan Ferry (Meadville, Pa./Meadville) (4-over 76) and Giovanni Delorenzi (Reggio Emilia, Italy) (7-over 79). Michael Wareham (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) also was in Gannon's lineup, but his 82 did not count in the team's final score.