SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (March 22, 2021) – Led by a sparkling performance by senior Devin Johnson, the Loyola University Chicago men's golf team leads the pack after the first 36 holes of action at the Twin Oaks Intercollegiate in Springfield, Mo.
 
The Maroon & Gold closed the opening day of play at the par-71, 6,760-yard course at the Twin Oaks Country Club with a three-over-par 571 (285-286), good enough for a two-shot lead over second-place Wichita State (285-272=557), which will complete the final two holes of its second round on Tuesday morning after play was suspended due to darkness with six teams still on the course.
 
Johnson turned in a dominant showing today in the Ozarks as he surged into the individual lead.  The Geneva, Ill. native carded consecutive three-over-par 68s en route to a six-under-par 136 that has him two strokes in front of South Dakota's Matt Tolan (69-69) and Valparaiso's Caleb VanArragon (68-70), who are both tied for second with four-under-par 138s.
 
Sophomore Timmy Crawford matched Johnson during second-round play, tying his 18-hole career low with a three-under-par 68 that vaulted the Arlington Heights, Ill. product into a seven-way tie for seventh place at 142 (74-68).
 
Johnson and Crawford both finished the day with nine birdies across their two rounds, sharing the lead in the category with Clayton Larsen of North Alabama.
 
Like Crawford, senior Ryan Magee turned in an 18-hole career-best of his own.  Out of Hawthorn Woods, Ill., Magee fired an opening-round one-under-par 70, ultimately finishing the day with a two-over-par 144 (70-74) to sit tied for 18^th place.
 
Senior Justin LaFrance posted back-to-back rounds of 76, moving into a tie for 76^th at 152 (76-76).  Sophomore Zach Walsh resides in 100^th with a 157 (73-84) that was highlighted by a two-over-par 73 during today's first round.
 
Second-round play at the Twin Oaks Intercollegiate will resume on Tuesday morning at 8:15 a.m., with the event's final round to follow immediately after.