LA QUINTA, Calif. – The San Diego State men's golf team is in eighth place after the first day of The Prestige presented by Charles Schwab after carding a 3-over-par 287 Monday on the par-71, 7,100-yard Greg Norman Course at PGA WEST.
In a highly competitive field which features 11 teams ranked in the top 45 in latest Golfstat rankings, the Aztecs are two shots ahead of No. 25 LSU (+5) and just two behind No. 22 UCLA and co-host UC Davis for fourth place (+1). No. 13 SMU and Iowa State, meanwhile, are tied for sixth at +2. Top-ranked Pepperdine leads the way at -9.
Sophomore Leo Oyo (Tokyo) and junior Christian Banke (Danville, Calif.) each shot under par in the first round and find themselves in the top 10. Oyo fired a 3-under 68 and is tied with three others in fifth place, two shots behind leader Joey Vrzich of Pepperdine. Oyo was particularly impressive down the stretch, going 5-under-par over the final 11 holes. For the day, Oyo had five birdies and an eagle on the par-5 16th hole. Oyo was the only competitor to record an eagle on the day.
Banke, meanwhile, carded a 2-under 69 to tie for ninth with seven other golfers. Like Oyo, Banke found his rhythm over the final 11 holes, going 6-under-par over that stretch, including five consecutive birdies from the eighth through the 12th holes. After back-to-back pars, Banke birdied both No. 15 and No. 16 before settling for a bogey and par to close out his 69.
Juniors Puwit Anupansuebsai (Nakhon Phanom, Thailand) and Callum Bruce (Banff, Scotland) each shot a 4-over 75 and are tied for 54th after the first round. Anupansuebsai, who entered the tournament with SDSU's lowest scoring average (69.18), didn't record a birdie until the par-5 16th hole and finished with 13 pars, three bogeys and a double-bogey 6 on the sixth hole.
Bruce, who shot a 3-over 38 on the front nine, started the back nine with four straight pars before birdieing the par-4 14th. After a par on No. 15, he double-bogeyed the par-5 16th and finished with back-to-back pars for his 75.
Steve Sugimoto is in 77th after logging a 11-over 82. Sugimoto went out the front nine at 9-over 45 before rallying for a 2-over 38 on the back nine. He played his final 11 holes at 1-over.
The Prestige presented by Charles Schwab continues Tuesday with the second round, as San Diego State tees off alongside Iowa State, SMU and UC Davis, starting at 7:30 a.m. PT on hole No. 1.
The Prestige presented by Charles Schwab
La Quinta, Calif.
Round One Results
Greg Norman Course
Par 71, 7,100 yards
Team Standings (Top 5 of 16 teams)
1. No. 1 Pepperdine - 275 (-9)
2. No. 9 Texas Tech - 278 (-6)
3. No. 16 Texas - 279 (-5)
T4. No. 22 UCLA - 285 (+1)
T4. UC Davis - 285 (+1)
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8. San Diego State - 287 (+3)
Individual Leaders (Top 5 of 79 players)
1. Joey Vrzich (Pepperdine) - 66 (-5)
T2. Thomas Hutchison (UC David) - 67 (-4)
T2. Sahith Theegala (Pepperdine) - 67 (-4)
T2. Noah Goodwin (SMU) - 67 (-4)
T5. Leo Oyo (SDSU) - 68 (-3)
T5. Ludvig Aberg (Texas Tech) - 68 (-3)
T5. Tyson Reeder (Arkansas) - 68 (-3)
T5. Spencer Tibbits (Oregon State) - 68 (-3)
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T9. Christian Banke (SDSU) - 69 (-2)
T54. Puwit Anupansuebsai (SDSU) - 75 (+4)
T54. Callum Bruce (SDSU) - 75 (+4)
77. Steve Sugimoto (SDSU) - 82 (+11)
Men’s Golf in Eighth After First Day of The Prestige
