Reno, NV – Chris Gilman of Yorba Linda, CA and James Erkenbeck of San Diego, CA share the opening-round lead at eGolf’s inaugural ArrowCreek Open, with both players posting matching rounds of 8-under 64 on Tuesday afternoon at host ArrowCreek Country Club. The twosome sits atop the leaderboard through 18 holes of the 54-hole event, just two days away from the possibility of an exemption into the PGA TOUR’s Reno-Tahoe Open, which will be awarded to the tournament champion following the conclusion of Thursday’s third and final round.

Gilman, a former University of Denver golfer, opened his week at ArrowCreek’s Legends Course with five birdies and a bogey in his first eight holes to turn in 4-under 32. The 27-year-old, who turned pro in 2009, pared Nos. 1-3 on his back nine (the club’s front) before rallying late with birdies on Nos. 4, 6, 7 and 9 to round out a career-best 64 on eGolf West.

Gilman entered the week with three starts this year on eGolf West, posting three top-20 finishes – including a career-best T3 in his last start at the Championship at Oak Valley three weeks ago. The former Pioneers standout came to the par-4 finishing hole that week to possibly force his way into a playoff, but bogeyed the 18th to fall two shots shy of a Jesse Mueller / Ryan Dillon overtime session.

Gilman has made four of eight cuts on PGA TOUR Latinoamerica this year, including a T3 at the Stella Artois Open in March. He is currently 24th on the tour’s Order of Merit.

Erkenbeck, a former star at the University of New Mexico, found himself at 4-under through six holes on day one after an eagle on the par-5 sixth at the Arnold Palmer-designed venue vaulted him up the early Tuesday leaderboard.

Chris Gilman

The 24-year-old bogeyed the par-5 ninth to turn in 3-under, but rallied late, notching birdies on Nos. 11, 14, 15, 16 and 17 to round out a 5-under 31 on his back nine for an opening-round 64.

Erkenbeck has made three starts this year on eGolf Tour West, winning his debut at the Golf Club of California Classic in January, then adding a runner-up effort at the Championship at Soboba Springs three weeks later.

“Everything you accomplished as an amateur, to an extent, goes down the drain once you turn pro,” said Erkenbeck after his win at the Golf Club of California.

Erkenbeck’s college career at New Mexico was well documented, as he finished second in all-time scoring at the storied program, which has produced a number of PGA TOUR players.

In 2013, the Lobo star played brilliant golf, earning first-team “All America” honors after being named Mountain West Conference “Player of the Year” – thanks in part to an individual title at the NCAA Tournament’s Columbus regional. From there, Erkenbeck was named to the victorious 2013 U.S. Palmer Cup team, and eventually finished as a semi-finalist in the U.S. Public Links Championship later that summer.

Christopher Evans of Palm Desert, CA is alone in third place after posting a 7-under 65.

Evans, playing in the day’s first threesome off of No. 10, bogeyed his opening hole, but played flawless golf thereafter, recording six birdies and an eagle to finish off a 7-under 65 on Tuesday.

The Washington state native, who starred in college at the University of Washington, has made nine of 10 cuts this year on eGolf Tour West, recording eight top-25s and a pair of runner-up finishes at the Championship at Carlton Oaks in April and the Mountain View Classic in May.

At Mountain View, the 26-year-old bogeyed three of his final five holes – including Nos. 17 and 18 – to fall one shot shy of winner Darren Angel.

Colin Featherstone of Fallbrook, CA, Tyler Raber of El Macero, CA, Ryan Dillon of Desert Hills, AZ and Brian Vranesh of Phoenix, AZ are tied for fourth, two shots back of the co-leaders after matching rounds of 6-under 66.

Second-round play in the ArrowCreek Open will begin at 7:30 AM (PST) on Wednesday morning. Following the completion of 36 holes, the field will be cut to the low 35 percent and ties for Friday’s third and final round of play. The tournament is open to the public and free of charge.