WAIKOLOA, Hawai'i – University of Hawai'i freshman Kotaro Murata carded a second straight 4-under 68 in the second round of the 29^th Amer Ari Intercollegiate, Friday at the Waikoloa Resorts Kings Course. 
 
The Matsuyama, Japan native is currently tied for sixth place at 8-under 136 and trails leader Tyler Strafaci of Georgia Tech by five strokes heading into Saturday's final round. Murata posted six birdies on his round for a total of 11 in the tournament. 
 
After posting 68 on Thursday, junior Justin Arcano shot 76 and is even 144 for the tournament and tied for 58^thplace. The Wailuku, Maui native still managed four birdies but finished with three bogeys over his final four holes.
 
As a team, the Rainbow Warriors dropped five spots into 17^th place. No. 2 Georgia Tech holds the team lead at 543, five strokes ahead of 19^th-ranked Texas (548). Arizona State is third (550) followed by top-ranked Pepperdine (555) and No. 4 Texas Tech (555).
 
Individually, Georgia Tech's Tyler Strafaci continues to hold the lead at 13-under par while Oklahoma State's Aman Gupta is two strokes back at 11-under.
 
Also competing for UH are senior Trevor Hirata (77, t-105^th), junior Cole Yoshida (81, t-111^th), and junior Justin Ngan (75, t-113^th). Four Warriors are competing as individuals – senior Nick Nelson (74, t-99^th), freshman Kanata Irei (80, t-113^th), junior Matt Lloyd (81, 119^th), and sophomore AJ Teraoka (89, 120^th).
 
The third and final round is scheduled for Saturday with a 7:30 a.m. HT shogun start.
 
 

17	Hawai'i	286	296
T6	Kotaro Murata (5)	68	68	-8
T58	Justin Arcano (1)	68	76	E
T105	Trevor Hirata (3)	75	77	+8
T111	Cole Yoshida (2)	75	81	+12
T113	Justin Ngan (4)	83	75	+14