Jamestown Community College’s Anthony Gullo, left, shakes hands with Delta (Michigan) College’s Jacob Denham following the completion of their round on the first day of the NJCAA Division III National Golf Championship on the Lake Course at Chautauqua Golf Club on Tuesday. P-J photo by Scott Kindberg

CHAUTAUQUA — The number of players in the 2021 NJCAA Division III National Golf Championship is only about half of what it would be in a “normal” year.

But one thing didn’t change in Tuesday’s opening round from previous tournaments on the Lake Course at Chautauqua Golf Club.

The traditional power programs are well-represented on the leaderboard.

Thanks to five birdies, Andreas Huber of Sandhills (North Carolina) Community College shot a 1-under par 71 to hold a two-shot lead over Wyatt Blomseth of Minnesota State Community and Technical College and Dylan Humphries of Georgia Military College. Grant Inniger of Minnesota State Community and Technical College is fourth after a 2-over 74, followed by Peter Thayer of Georgia Military College and Carter Justesen of Minnesota State Community & Technical College at 3-over 75.

All told, Minnesota State Community & Technical College has a two-stroke lead as a team over Georgia Military College, while Sandhills CC is three back. Niagara County CC (318) is in fourth place, followed by DuPage CC (326), Jefferson CC (343), Delta CC (347) and Jamestown CC (382).

For the host Jayhawks, Anthony Gullo finished with a 9-over 81 and is tied for 19th place with Ryan Blevins of Jefferson CC.

Gullo, who turned in a fine Region 3 spring season, said he’d give himself an average grade for his round.

“If we can clean some stuff up, I’d feel better about it,” the sophomore said. “I’d say if I had to grade it, I’d give myself a ‘C’ today.”

The primary reason was he couldn’t find the fairway off the tee, doing so only on the first hole. After that, the Jamestown native had to scramble to get up and down.

“I just need to come out and hit more fairways,” he said. “My irons could have been better, but they weren’t that bad. I hit some greens out of some tough spots, so if we can get the driver going, we’re going to be alright.”

Added Jayhawks coach and tournament director George Sisson: “You putt for dough when you can attack the green. He was never in that position today. He hung in there. There is a lot of golf to be played. … He has to stay positive, he has to trust his skillset and he has to just relax, trust himself and do it, because he knows he can.

“It’s one day. There are three days to go. If it’s a four-chapter story, the first chapter wasn’t very good. Tomorrow we write another chapter.”

Other scores by the Jayhawks were David Allen 90, Josh Brown 104 and Matt Fennell 107.

Joining Huber, Blomswth, Humphries, Inniger, Thayer and Justesen in the top 20 are Nick Agapion, Sandhills CC, 76; Austin Quillian, Georgia Military College, 76; Sam Gerry, DuPage CC, 76; Sam Hyman, Niagara County CC, 76; Eric Joyce, Mohawk Valley CC, 77; Murphy Lang, Niagara County CC, 78; Phoenix Weydig, Mohawk Valley CC, 78; Carson Witherspoon, Sandhills CC, 78; Adam Hathaway, Sandills CC, 79; Luner Benton, Georgia Military College, 79; Hunter Burnside, Minnesota State Community & Technical College, 79; Ryan Blevins, Jefferson CC, 80; Gullo, 81; and Andrew Crawford, Sandhills CC, 81.

NOTES: Play was delayed for about 90 minutes in the early afternoon because of lightning. … After play was completed, the players and coaches enjoyed a chicken barbecue in Bemus Point where they all had an opportunity to take a ride on the Stow Ferry.