Maynooth University’s David Kitt opened with a three-over 73 to share 62nd place after the opening round of the 2021 Patriot All-America Tournament at The Wigwam in Arizona.

The Athenry star made two birdies and three bogeys to be one-over with two to play but dropped shots at the 17th and 18th left him 10 strokes behind the University of Arizona’s Chase Sienkiewicz.

Scores

Sienkiewicz carded a bogey-free, seven-under-par 63 to lead by one stroke from US Amateur champion James Piot from Michigan State University,  Vanderbilt’s Matthew Riedel, Notre Dame’s Palmer Jackson and world No 35 David Ford from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Kitt’s Maynooth University teammate and fellow Athenry man Allan Hill was tied 70th after he rallied and birdied the 16th and 17th to card a four-over 74.

In the women’s event, Oklahoma State’s Caley McGinty and Pepperdine’s Kaleiya Romero shot four-under 66s to lead by a shot from Texas Christian’s Sabrina Iqbal and Michigan State’s Valery Plata. Scores

Throughout the 54-hole championship, each participant honours a fallen or severely injured US soldier by carrying a bag bearing the name of that individual.

Past champions include PGA Tour star Cameron Champ, who won after a playoff in 2016.