SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — The University of Hawai'i men's golf team concluded play at the 79th Western Intercollegiate on Wednesday, posting a final-round 376 (+26) at the historic and recently restored Pasatiempo Golf Club. The Rainbow Warriors finished the three-day, play-six, score-five event in 14th place with a 54-hole total of 1,122 (+72).
 
Junior Dane Watanabe was the top finisher for the Rainbow Warriors for both the final round and the tournament, carding a 2-over 72 on Wednesday to finish in a tie for 63rd place with a three-day total of 220 (+10). Watanabe showed steady improvement throughout the week, recording rounds of 75, 73, and 72. Hawai'i maintained its 14th-place standing throughout the final day, finishing 10 strokes ahead of Big West rival UC Irvine.
 
Southern California secured the team title with a 13-under-par total of 1,037, narrowly defeating California by a single stroke. In a thrilling finish for the individual title, Stanford's Dean Greyserman fired a tournament-low 8-under 62 on Wednesday to join USC's Jack Buchanan in a tie for first place at 10-under-par.
 
UH's James Whitworth and Alec Hilgers both finished the tournament in a tie for 77th place with matching totals of 224 (+14). Whitworth followed his second-round 69 with a final-round 75, while Hilgers likewise turned in a 75 on Wednesday. Nathan Szpakowicz finished in a tie for 83rd place at 226 (+16) after carding a 76 in his final round.
 
Rounding out the Hawai'i contingent, freshman Chris Salem finished in 89th place with a three-day total of 231 (+21), and Quinn Murray placed 95th at 253 (+43). The tournament, which featured live national coverage on the Golf Channel, continued its long-standing tradition as the longest-running college golf tournament west of the Mississippi.
 
The Rainbow Warriors will now shift their focus to the postseason as they head to the Big West Conference Championship later this month. The conference tournament is scheduled for April 27-29 at La Quinta, Calif.
 
14. Hawai'i — 380-366-376=1122 (+72)
T63. Dane Watanabe — 75-73-72=220 (+10)
T77. James Whitworth — 80-69-75=224 (+14)
T77. Alec Hilgers — 76-73-75=224 (+14)
T83. Nathan Szpakowicz — 71-79-76=226 (+16)
89. Chris Salem — 78-75-78=231 (+21)
95. Quinn Murray — 93-76-84=253 (+43)