Houghton's men's team had the first tee time on Wednesday morning. Oklahoma State's women's team of Masey Brannon and Markayla Clayton had a 40-foot putt on their first hole. Missouri's Noah Free had the pressure of a title defense.

Everything worked out well for the early leaders on opening day of the 2023 College Disc Golf National Championship.

Houghton's early tee time ended by setting a blistering pace in the Men's Division I team event with a 16-under opening round, a start that would not be matched the rest of the day in the 64-team field.

Houghton set the pace early in the men's Division I team round on Wednesday. Photo: PDGA

"We came in confident," Houghton team captain Owen Fall said. "We shot what we expected to, actually one more than we expected with the eagle on 17, so that was a bonus.

"Our strength is our putting and that showed."

Houghton, in its first year in the DI field, leads Illinois State and Cincinnati by one stroke in the team standings. Emporia State is one stroke back.

Brannon and Clayton are competing in their first year of College Disc Golf and the duo worked out well on Wednesday by finding themselves in a tie for first place with Southern Arkansas, who features the defending women's singles national champion, Whitney Brown.

"I think our 40-foot birdie putt on hole 1 really got us going — definitely a confidence boost," Brannon said. "It was definitely exciting. I think this course fits our game really well. We don't have a ton of distance, but Markayla throws really great straight shots and I have more of the flex shots so it definitely works out."

Oklahoma State and Southern Arkansas lead BYU and Liberty by one stroke.

Missouri's Noah Free shot a 10-under round in Men's DI singles on Wednesday. Photo: Conrad Meyer / PDGA

The defending DI champions Missouri closed out the morning team session four strokes off the lead but got a big boost in the afternoon from Free, who paced the field with a scorching 10-under round in singles. Free got off to a fast start as he was the only player in the field to birdie the first four holes on the Boulders track. 2021 singles national champion Davis York is one stroke back.

In Division II, Wisconsin-Platteville leads Iowa State by one stroke in the men's team standings. North Carolina State leads the DIII field after opening day. NC State's Zachary Olson leads the DIII singles flight.

Action resumes today across the 700-plus player event at North Cove Leisure & Disc Golf Club in Marion, North Carolina.