New Haven, Conn. – The Fordham golf team kicked off play at the Macdonald Cup, hosted by Yale, with 36 holes on Saturday at The Course at Yale. The Rams finished the day in a tie for 10^th place out of 12 schools, led by freshman P.J. O'Rourke, who finished 4-over on the day. Minnesota sits atop the leaderboard with a score of 549, 19 strokes ahead of Princeton and Yale. Both Angus Flanagan and Evan Long of Minnesota sit atop the individual leaderboard with 3-under 136's.
 
O'Rourke carded back-to-back 72's, a new season-low for the freshman, to sit in a tie for 17^th overall at 144. Nicholas Manning improved upon his first round 75 with a 74 in round two and sits T41 at 149 through two rounds. Mithran Denbow finished with a 154 in solo 57^th, ahead of Dean Cerimido, who carded a 157 on Saturday, and Edoardo Tamburi, who sits solo 71^st with a 160. Denbow's 76 in round one was a new season-low, as well.
 
O'Rourke birded his first hole of the day before giving it away on the next hole with a bogey 5, then carded a double bogey on the fifth hole that proved to be the difference. On the front nine, the freshman had two birdies and two bogeys. Cerimido had two birdies in round one.
 
In round two, O'Rourke parred six straight holes to begin play before going bogey-bogey-triple bogey to sit at 5-over. The freshman rallied with 3-under 31 on the front nine, however, to match his opening round 72. Manning also carded a trio of birdies in the second round, while both Denbow and Tamburi enjoyed two apiece.
 
Sunday will begin with a shotgun start at 9 a.m.