SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — The University of Hawai'i men's golf team opened play at the 79th Western Intercollegiate on Monday, navigating the historic and newly restored Pasatiempo Golf Club.
In a premier field featuring eight top-50 programs and national television coverage on the Golf Channel, the Rainbow Warriors battled through the opening 18 holes of the three-day, play-six, score-five event
. Hawai'i currently sits in 14th place with a team total of 380 (+30), holding a 14-stroke lead over Big West rival UC Irvine.
California holds the 18-hole lead after firing a 7-under-par 343, maintaining a narrow one-stroke advantage over UNLV
. Individually, Arizona's Taishi Moto and Chattanooga's Evan Rogers are deadlocked for the lead after both carded opening-round 65s (-5).
Nathan Szpakowicz provided the day's highlight for the Rainbow Warriors, turning in a resilient performance on the par-70 Alister MacKenzie design
. After a steady start, Szpakowicz ignited a mid-round surge, going 4-under-par over a critical 11-hole stretch. That run propelled him to 2-under-par through 14 holes, briefly moving him within just one stroke of the individual lead before he finished the day in a tie for 36th with a 71 (+1).
The tournament marked a significant milestone for freshmen
Alec Hilgers and
Chris Salem, who both made their Western Intercollegiate debuts
. Hilgers is currently tied for 75th after carding a 76 (+6), while Salem is tied for 80th following a round of 78 (+8). Junior Dane Watanabe, making his third career appearance at Pasatiempo, is tied for 69th after an opening-round 75 (+5).
Rounding out the Hawai'i scoring,
James Whitworth is tied for 88th with an 80 (+10) and
Quinn Murray is in 96th place after a 93 (+23). As the longest-running collegiate tournament west of the Mississippi, the Western Intercollegiate continues a storied tradition that has featured past champions such as Johnny Miller and Scottie Scheffler.
Hawai'i will return to the course Tuesday for the second round as they look to climb the leaderboard before Wednesday's finale
. Following this week's action in Santa Cruz, the Rainbow Warriors will head to the Big West Conference Championship later this month
14. Hawai'i — 380
T-36.
Nathan Szpakowicz — 71 (+1)
T-69.
Dane Watanabe — 75 (+5)
T-75.
Alec Hilgers — 76 (+6)
T-80.
Chris Salem — 78 (+8)
T-88.
James Whitworth — 80 (+10)
96.
Quinn Murray — 93 (+23)
#HawaiiMGOLF
