JAMAICA, N.Y. -- Sophomore Jesse Fitzgerald (Harrison, N.Y./Harrison) fired a two-under par 70 and stands in third place, leading the St. Johns University mens golf team, which stands in sixth place after one round of competition at the Liberty Ramada Classic, being held at The Waters Edge in Penhook Virginia. The Red Storm carded a 14-over par 302 and are tied for sixth with host Liberty, 20 shots off the pace of Penn State, who leads the field of 11 teams at six-under par 282.

Richmond stands in second at one-over par 289, followed by James Madison in third at four-over par 292, the College of William & Mary is fourth at 10-over par 298 and Seton Hall is fifth at 12-over par 300.

This has been a long trip in hot weather and they could be tired, St. Johns Head Coach Frank Darby said. The East Carolina event was the big one (St. Johns solidified a bid for the NCAA Eastern Regional with a sixth place at the Pirate Spring Invitational last weekend). All we want to do is get to the NCAA's next month and we'll have some time for our three to six players figure some things out.

Fitzgerald, a transfer from South Carolina, shot a 35 going out and posted a 35 coming in for his two-under par 70. Classmate Andrew Svoboda (Harrison, N.Y./Mamaroneck) is tied for eighth place at even par 72.

Senior Andrew McKay (Collingwood, Ontario/Collegiate Institute) is tied for 38th place at six-over par 78, while sophomore Joe Saladino (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y./Cold Spring Harbor) and freshman John DeForest (Cottekill, N.Y./Rondout Valley) are tied for 47th place at 10-over par 72.

The final round of play will be held at The Waters Edge, a par-72, 6,906-yard course, on Tuesday.