BRIDGEPORT, W.V. – Senior Nicklaus Chiam posted a first-round score of -2, 70, to lead Washington State during the opening day of play at the 2019 Health Plan Mountaineer Invitational, played at the par-72, 7,308-yard Pete Dye Golf Club.
 
The tournament was scheduled for two rounds Monday but late in the second round darkness forced play to be suspended. The Cougars will complete its second round Tuesday morning before moving into the third and final round.
 
WSU currently sits 11th at +41, 570, with players needing to complete the final four holes. The Cougars finished the first round at +20, 308, and in seventh place in the 15-team field.
 
"We just need to be more patient," said WSU Head Coach Dustin White. "The golf course is playing tough as the scores indicate, but it's the same for everyone. We still have 20+ holes to go, we just need to be more accepting of adversity and focus on what we can control. We are plenty capable, we simply need to believe and trust in ourselves and put a score together."
 
Chiam, from Singapore, started strong as he birdied his second hole, then added three more birdies to his round as he finished the first 18 holes in a three-way tie for the lead. It matched Chiam's best opening round since firing a -2, 70, during the first round of the National Invitational Tournament in Tucson, Ariz., March 18, 2019. In his second round, Chiam is four-over par with three holes remaining. His two-round score of +2, 134, is currently tied for ninth.
 
Senior Daniel Kolar ended his first round at +1, 73, also posting four birdies on the round. Kolar has three holes remaining in his second round and currently sits at +7, 138, tied for 25th. Freshman Tianyu Wu has the best second round going for WSU as he is +3 on the round through 14 holes. Overall, Wu sits at +14, 142, and tied for 53rd.
 
Senior Scott Redelsperger has two holes remaining in his second round and currently sits tied for 72nd at +18, 154. Redelsperger shot an opening round 82 and has carded a pair of birdies so far in his second round. Junior Ryan Maine has three holes left in his second round and through 33 holes Monday, Maine is +26, 159. Freshman Christian Yanagi, playing as an individual, has two holes remaining in his second round and currently sits at +12, 149, and tied for 46th.
 
Florida Atlantic holds the overnight lead as it sits at +4 with 3-6 holes remaining in the second round. That is one shot better than No. 25 and host West Virginia, which is at +5 with 3-4 holes left to complete its second round.
 
The second round at the Health Plan Mountaineer Invitational will resume at 5:30 a.m. PT. The third round will follow immediately after with pairings staying the same. Live stats will be posted on golfstat.com and full recaps of the day's events will be posted on wsucougars.com at the end of competition.
 
 

11	Washington State	308	262	570, +41
T9	Nicklaus Chiam	70	64 (15)	134, +2
T25	Daniel Kolar	73	67 (15)	140, +7
T53	Tianyu Wu	83	59 (14)	142, +14
T72	Scott Redelsperger	82	72 (16)	154, +18
80	Ryan Maine	85	74 (15)	159, +26
T46	Christian Yanagi (I)	80	69 (16)	149, +12