Orange County Collegiate Classic
Dates: Feb. 7-8 (Monday-Tuesday)
Location: Coto de Caza South Course - Coto de Caza, Calif.
Par/Yardage: Par 72, 6,950 yards
Live Scoring: Golfstat.com

Notes (PDF)

IRVINE, Calif. - UC Irvine men's golf is set to open the spring season by co-hosting the third annual Orange County Collegiate Classic, Feb. 7-8.
 
The two-day tournament will be played at the par-72, 6,950-yard Coto de Caza South Course. Thirty-six holes are scheduled for Monday with the final round to be contested on Tuesday. Both days are slated for an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start.
 
The Anteaters will welcome nine teams to Coto de Caza, including co-host Cal State Fullerton, California Baptist, Cal Poly, Central Arkansas, CSUN, Seattle U, UC Riverside, UC San Diego and UC Santa Barbara.
 
Kolbe Irei, Henry Fitzhugh, Nathan Irwin, Darien Zhao and Ethan Han are part of UCI's 5-count-4 lineup, while Johnny Bai, Matt Gunson and Trueman Park will be competing as individuals.
 
LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine wrapped up its fall season with the Visit Stockton Invitational hosted by Pacific at the Stockton Golf & Country Club, Oct. 21-23. The Anteaters came in 10th with a 54-hole score of 855. Darien Zhao was UCI's top finisher, tying for 37th at even-par 213 (72-69-72). Kolbe Irei, Nathan Irwin and Johnny Bai (72-70-72) all carded a 1-over 214 to tie for 41st. Irei and Irwin shot identical rounds of 73, 69 and 72 over the course of the three-day tournament. Henry Fitzhugh rounded out the 'Eater lineup in 75th (224).
 
NEWS & NOTES
• UCI will open the spring season on one of its home courses for the fourth year in a row.
• The 'Eaters also co-hosted the Orange County Collegiate Classic at Coto de Caza in 2020 and 2021.
• In 2019, they kicked off the spring portion of their schedule with the Anteater Invitational at Big Canyon CC.
• During the fall, sophomore Darien Zhao was UC Irvine's top finisher in two of the team's three tournaments.
• Zhao tied for 15th at the Nick Watney Invitational and tied for 37th in Stockton with a season-best 213 (E).
• Senior Nathan Irwin added a top-20 showing at the season-opening Nick Watney Invitational (T19th).
• Sophomore Kolbe Irei also notched his first collegiate top-20 showing at the Bill Cullum Invite where he tied for 17th.
• UCI carded its best 18-hole score of the year with a 277 in the second round of the Visit Stockton Invitational.
• Zhao, Irwin and Irei led the way in that round as all three registered a season-best 2-under 69.
• In two fall tournaments played, Johnny Bai recorded a team-leading 72.33 scoring average.
• Sophomore Henry Fitzhugh has played in every tournament since his arrival at UCI.
• Four of the seven returning 'Eaters are seniors - Nathan Irwin, Matt Gunson, Ethan Han and Trueman Park.
• UC Irvine also welcomes two newcomers in Johnny Bai and Jin Nakao.
• Bai, a redshirt freshman, graduated from Lake Mary Preparatory School in Florida.
• Nakao is a true freshman out of Burbank High School where he was an individual league champion.
• Back in November, UC Irvine signed Rei Harashima and Andy Zou to National Letters of Intent for 2022-23.
 
UP NEXT
UC Irvine will head to the islands for the John A. Burns Intercollegiate at the Ocean Course at Hokuala in Lihue, Kaua'i, Feb. 17-19.