PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. - Following the first 18 holes of the 2025 NCAA Division II National Championships Monday, May 19, No. 7 Oklahoma Christian sits five strokes back of eighth place following a first-round 8-over 296 for a spot in 12th place.

No. 15 St. Mary's paces the 20-team championship field with a 9-under 279, followed by second-place No. 10 Florida Southern and No. 8 Lee, which were the only teams below par after 18 holes. 

Oklahoma Christian was holding inside the top-5 after the first 13 holes, but a team-score of +13 on the last combined five holes has the Eagles outside the top-10 after day one.

Oskari Nikku paces the OC five-bag with a 2-under 70, playing bogey-free golf until the 15th hole. Nikku's sub-par opening round has him tied for seventh in the 108-player field.

Leandro Mihaich is tied for 36th with an opening-round 1-over 73. Mihaich, who led the Eagles and was tied for fifth in the field with five birdies, joined Nikku at 3-under 38 after 10 holes.

Exequiel Rodriguez started out his round 3-over 31 through seven holes before settling in for a 4-over 76. The two-time defending LSC Men's Golf Academic Player of the Year saw the second-best back-nine of any Eagle behind team-leader Nikku. Joey Lewis and Vertti Perala rounded out the OC five-bag with five-over 77s.

No. 7 Oklahoma Christian will get day two started from historic PGA National Tuesday, May 20 at 8:20 a.m. CT as Perala will get OC underway. Lewis, Rodriguez, Nikku and Mihaich will follow Perala's lead in 11-minute increments.