Article taken from UCO Golf Website: WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Central Oklahoma got off to a hot start and didn't look back in taking a commanding lead at Mules National on Tuesday. The Bronchos posted rounds of 12-under 268 in the morning and 6-under 274 in the afternoon. UCO's 36-hole 542 leads the field by 15 shots. Host Central Missouri is second with a 557, Missouri Southern is third at 561, Washburn fourth at 571, and Sioux Falls fifth at 572. "We did a great job of coming out strong and keeping our focus and now we just have to hang on to that tomorrow," UCO head coach Derrick Thompson said. "There are lot of good teams here and we have to focus on finishing the job and sticking to our game plan." UCO has won The Mule in 2024 and 2025. The Bronchos and the 19-team field will make one more trip around Mules National's 6,399-yard Par 70 course Wednesday morning. Nick Canales, who won individual titles at The Mule in 2024 and 2025, is tied for first after 36 holes this season. The senior three-time All-American shot rounds of 2-under 68 and 4-under 66. Canales is tied with teammates Rhett Hughes and Will Whorton. Hughes got to 134 with a 4-under 66 in the first round and then shot a 2-under 68. Whorton, making his UCO debut, shot a 3-under 67 in both rounds on Tuesday. Canales started his senior season with a bogey on No. 1 and was 2-over after five holes. But the veteran promptly responded with four birdies in the first round, three on the back nine, and finished 2-under. He was 2-under in the second round through five holes, then made the turn even par after bogeys on No. 8 & 9. Canales then reeled off three straight birdies to start the back nine and added one more for a 4-under 66. Hughes had a mixed first nine that included a bogey, a double, and two birdies to make the turn 1-over par. But he shot a 30 on the back nine with five birdies to get to 4-under for his first round. He started his second round with a bogey but got in the red with an eagle on the Par 5 fifth hole, then sank two birdie putts to make the turn at 3-under. He countered two back-nine bogeys with a birdie on No. 17 to finish 2-under 68. Whorton started on No. 3 and was solid throughout the day. The freshman from Norman, Oklahoma birdied No. 5, 8, 10, 17, and 2 to counter a pair of bogeys and post a 3-under 67 in his first round of collegiate golf. In the second round, he sank six more birdies to counter three bogeys and card another 3-under 67. Ty Hyatt is the fourth counting score for Central Oklahoma and is tied for 13th place. He shot a 3-under 67 Tuesday morning and followed that with a 3-over-par 73 in the afternoon to finish the day even par. Bryant Polhill rounds out the lineup for the Bronchos. He shot a 36-hole 157 (77-80).