Round 1 Results

LA QUINTA, Calif. - The UC Irvine men's golf team is in third place after the opening round of the Big West Championships Sunday at La Quinta Country Club.
 
The third-seeded Anteaters combined for an 18-hole total of 290 (+2). They are one stroke behind No. 2 seed Long Beach State and seven back of top-seeded UC Davis, who leads the field at 5-under 283.
 
All five 'Eaters are currently among the top-20. Darien Zhao had UCI's best score of the day, carding a 2-under 70 to tie for second. He had four birdies, including three-straight on the back nine (Holes 13-15), to come in below par for the sixth time in his last 10 rounds.
 
Nathan Irwin and Johnny Bai are tied for 11th at 1-over 73. Bai matched Zhao for the team lead with four birdies. Kolbe Irei and Henry Fitzhugh are also tied for 16th at 2-over 74.
 
The Aggies' Thomas Hutchison holds a three-stroke lead in the individual standings at 5-under 67.
 
UC Irvine is back at La Quinta Country Club on Monday for the second round of the Big West Championships. The Anteaters are paired with UCD and LBSU with tee times starting at noon.