Played on the par-72 Keith Hills Country Club, Kinsey got off to a slow start before rallying with five birdies over the final 11 holes to put the Dolphins in the hunt for the title.

JU posted its third-best round of the season with a two-over par, 290. The Dolphins trail tournament host Campbell by 11 shots in the team competition. Belmont’s Scott O’Brien leads the individual competition after posting a five-under par 67 as 20 players shot par or better on the first day of competition.

“This was a good round today for the team,” said JU head coach Mike Blackburn. “We left a couple of shots out there today, but we’re in the hunt for the title and that is all you can ask for right now.”

Kinsey’s round got off to a rocky start. Teeing off on the 10th hole, Kinsey started with a bogey on the opening hole and followed with a bogey at the 15th to fall to two-over par.

Playing in what could be his final collegiate event, Kinsey rallied with birdies on the 17th and 18th to make the turn at even-par. He followed with a three-under par back nine, led by three birdies over holes four through seven, to put the finishing touches on his round and place him in a tie for second in the individual competition.

“Josh had a really good round today,” Blackburn said. “He didn’t panic after a rough start. He stayed in his routine and made some good shots to give himself some chances for birdies.”

Sophomore Stephen Healy had a solid round for the Dolphins, carding an even-par 72 in the opening round to tie for 14th.

Healy opened with a birdie on the 12th, but gave it back quickly with a bogey at the 13th. His birdie on the 15th sent him to his back nine at one-under par.

After four straight pars to open the back nine, Healy went bogey-birdie on the fifth and sixth to stay at one-under par. A bogey on the eighth, his 17th hole, ended his round at even-par.

Adding to the excitement for JU was Justin Jones’ two-over par 74 that leaves him tied for 26th. Jones opened his round with an even-par front nine that had a pair of bogeys offset by a pair of birdies.

The back nine was a roller coaster for the JU junior. Three straight bogeys to start the final nine was stopped a birdie on the fourth, only to have a bogey on the fifth. He answered with a bogey at the sixth before finishing with three straight pars.

Freshman Bobby Fredeking put together a three-over par 75, despite a pair of double bogeys. Five birdies on the day helped keep his round on track and the Dolphins in contention and finish in 33rd place.

Senior Christian Martin shot a nine-over par 81 in the opening round and is tied for 52nd in the individual competition.

The Dolphins will tee off at 8 a.m. with Florida Gulf Coast and Belmont.