LA QUINTA, Calif. - UC Irvine men's golf wrapped up the 2023 Big West Championships Tuesday at La Quinta Country Club.
 
The Anteaters had their best team score of the tournament in the final round at 1-under. They finished the three-day championship event with a 5-count-4 total of 879 (291-301-287).
 
Top-seeded Long Beach State held off No. 2 Cal State Fullerton for their fourth conference title. The Beach (857) came in at 12-under, just two strokes ahead of the Titans. LBSU's Ian Gilligan, Cal Poly's Baron Szeto and Fullerton's Russel Howlett tied for first at 5-under 211 with Gilligan winning the one-hole playoff.
 
Johnny Bai, Rei Harashima and Jin Nakao all fired a 71 to lead the 'Eaters in the final round. Bai got to 2-under after birdies on the 10th and 11th before a couple late bogeys, but responded with another birdie on the 18th to get back to below par. Harashima was steady throughout the day with three birdies and two bogeys, while Nakao had four birdies.
 
Bai (74-74-71) and Harashima (73-75-71) both moved up two spots into a tie for 18th with a 54-hole score of 219. It was Bai's second-straight top-20 showing at the Big West Championships.
 
Nakao tied for 26th with a total of 223 (74-78-71) and Darien Zhao tied for 30th (225). Andy Zou concluded the tournament with a third-round 74 (+2).