Texas A&M’s Phichaksn Maichon, No. 10 in PGA TOUR University, leads NCAA Championship after first round

CARLSBAD, Calif. – Texas A&M senior Phichaksn Maichon carded a bogey-free 66 Friday at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa and leads by one after the first round of the NCAA Championship. With a win, Maichon is projected to move from No. 10 to 4 in PGA TOUR University and he would join Sam Bennett (No. 5, Class of 2023) as Aggies to finish in the top five of PGA TOUR University.

Maichon has three wins on his PGA TOUR University record and has posted top-10s in each of his last five starts, including T3 at the SEC Championship and T7 at the Auburn Regional. Maichon is in position to earn Korn Ferry Tour membership by finishing Nos. 2-10 in the Class of 2025, and he could improve his exemption into PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry – players finishing Nos. 2-5 are exempt into Final Stage, while players finishing Nos. 6-25 are exempt into Second Stage.

Vanderbilt’s Jackson Van Paris (PGA TOUR U No. 4) and Colorado’s Justin Biwer (No. 31) are part of an eight-way tie for fourth at 4-under, while Auburn’s Brendan Valdes (No. 2) is T12. Biwer is projected to move to No. 26, one spot shy of cracking the top 25 and earning performance benefits. Michigan’s Hunter Thomson entered the week No. 20 and is projected No. 25 after a 7-over 79 (T141) on Friday.

Oklahoma’s Drew Goodman is T16 at 2-under and he helped lead the Sooners to a team score of 8-under, five shots ahead of Florida State, Florida and Texas. Goodman entered the week No. 15 in PGA TOUR University, and he’s projected to remain in that position.

PGA TOUR University Accelerated

Sophomore Jackson Koivun carded a 1-under 71 and is T25 for the defending champion Auburn Tigers, who are T5 as a team and six strokes behind Oklahoma. With a top-10 finish this week, Koivun would secure his 20th point in PGA TOUR University Accelerated and earn his PGA TOUR card.

Florida State junior Luke Clanton is T16 after an opening-round 70, and his Seminoles are T2 on the team leaderboard. Clanton earned his TOUR card in February when he made the cut at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches and earned his 20th point in PGA TOUR University Accelerated. He is expected to make his pro debut and first start as a PGA TOUR member at the RBC Canadian Open, June 5-8.

PGA TOUR University Ranking Projections

After first round of NCAA Championship

What’s at Stake

The Class of 2025 PGA TOUR University Ranking will be finalized following the final round of stroke play at the NCAA Championship on Monday, May 26. The top 25 players in the final ranking will earn the following performance benefits: