at Ka'anapali Classic
Dates: Oct. 28-30 (Friday-Sunday)
Location: Ka'anapali Golf Club - Lahaina, Maui
Par/Yardage: Par 71, 6,700 yards
Live Scoring: Golfstat.com

IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine men's golf team is headed to Maui for its final tournament of the fall season as the Anteaters are set to compete in the Ka'anapali Classic, Oct. 28-30.
 
The three-day tournament will be contested at Ka'anapali Golf Club with the par-71 Royal Ka'anapali Course being played at 6,700 yards. Eighteen holes are set for each day with an 8 a.m. (HT)/11 a.m. (PT) shotgun start.
 
The 'Eaters will face some of their toughest competition of the season as nine of the 20 teams in the field are ranked among the top-70 in the nation according to Golfstat. UCI is slated to go up against No. 11 Oklahoma, No. 20 Georgia, No. 29 North Florida, No. 40 Ole Miss, No. 45 East Tennessee State, No. 49 Liberty, No. 51 Colorado, No. 54 Kansas, No. 62 Clemson, Air Force, Boise State, UConn, CSUN, Denver, Gonzaga, Louisiana, Mount Saint Mary's, Wyoming and host Hawai'i.
  
UC Irvine's 5-count-4 lineup includes Darien Zhao, Kolbe Irei, Rei Harashima, Jin Nakao and Andy Zou.
 
LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine had its best finish of the fall season last week at the Visit Stockton Invitational, tying for second at 16-under 836 (278-276-282). The Anteaters were even with Pac-12 member Washington State, while coming in six strokes behind Grand Canyon which took first in the 16-team field. UCI had three individuals in the top-20, led by redshirt freshman Jin Nakao, who tied for eighth. Nakao finished with a three-round total of 206 (65-74-67). His first-round 65 is tied for sixth in program history and is the best 18-hole score by an 'Eater since David Kim in 2017. Freshman Rei Harashima also tied for 11th with a 208 (69-68-71), and junior Darien Zhao tied for 18th at 210 (70-68-72).
 
NEWS & NOTES
• The 'Eaters are sticking with the same 5-count-4 lineup they used in the first three tournaments of the season.
• They have come in below par and placed among the top-six in each of their previous three outings.
• Zhao, Harashima, Nakao, Irei and Zou all have at least one sub-70 round and own a season average below 73.00.
• The five Anteaters have combined for 13 sub-70 scores through nine rounds.
• Darien Zhao and Rei Harashima lead the way as they both have four rounds in the 60s.
• Zhao, a 2022 first-team All-Big West selection, is tops on the squad with a 70.56 scoring average.
• He tied for first at the Bill Cullum Invitational with a 6-under 210, but lost a one-hole playoff.
• Harashima ranks second on the team with a 71.11 season average.
• He has back-to-back top-20 finishes and is coming off his best showing with a 5-under 208 (T11th) in Stockton.
• Redshirt freshman Jin Nakao owns UCI's best two rounds of the year with a 65 in Stockton and a 67 in Fresno.
• Nakao's 65 is tied for sixth in program history and is their best individual 18-hole score since David Kim in 2017.
• He is third on the squad with a 71.44 average.
• Kolbe Irei has a couple top-20 performances and a 71.78 average through three tournaments this fall.
• Andy Zou has also registered a 72.67 with a season-best 3-under 68 at the Visit Stockton Invitational.
• UC Irvine will be competing in the Ka'anapali Classic for the first time since 2014 when it finished 10th overall.
• This year's Ka'anapali Classic features 20 teams from 17 states and 12 conferences, with seven 2022 NCAA Tournament squads.
• UCI has a seven-member squad, marking the first time it has fewer than nine on the roster since 2011-12.
 
UP NEXT
UC Irvine returns to action, Feb. 13-14, when it opens the 2023 portion of its schedule by co-hosting the Orange County Collegiate Classic at Coto de Caza South Course.