AKUMAL, Mexico— The Colorado Mesa University men's golf team opened up a 5-shot lead and has four individual players near or at the top of the leader board after the first day of The Shootout at PGA Riviera Maya, which got underway Sunday here at the Tulum Country Club.
 
Freshman Colby Hutton led the Maverick charge with a 1-under par round of 71, which has him and UT Permian Basin's Laurent Beech tied for the individual lead as the only two players in the 50-man field from ten teams that went under par in the first of the tournament's three rounds on the 6,980-yard, par 72-course.
 
Meanwhile, senior Dylan Everett is tied for third after posting an even par round of 72. 
 
Sophomore Henry Starr and senior Baptiste Laborde are right behind and tied for fifth alongside three others at 1-over par 73.
 
CMU's Will Alexander is also clinging to a spot in the top ten after recording a 75 (+3).
 
As a team, the Mavericks posted a team score of 289 (+1) to pace UT Permian Basin (294, +6) by five shots.  UT Tyler is nine shots further back at in third place at 303 (+15).
 
The Mavericks were steady throughout the day, recording 61 combined pars, seven more than any other team.  They also combined for 12 birdies and picked up an eagle from Laborde on the 584-yard, par-5 14^th hole.  The Frenchman  also leads the field in par-3 scoring having made three birdies on the short holes.  He and Everett are also tied for the tournament lead in par-5 scoring while Everett and Starr rank first and second in par-4 scoring.
 
Starr leads the field in pars with 15 while Alexander is tied for second with 14.
 
Monday's second round will begin with tee times at 9:40 a.m. (8:40 a.m. Mountain).