USC junior Sean Crocker
(USC Athletics Photo)
LAS VEGAS, NV (March 6, 2017) -- Defending champion USC got off to a good start at the Southern Highlands Collegiate as they look to repeat as tournament winners. On day one at Southern Highlands the Trojans turned in a 10-under day and they will carry a three shot lead into the second round over No. 8 Stanford.
Pepperdine is in third place at 6-under while sixth-ranked Oklahoma State and SMU are in a tie for fourth at 1-under.
USC, looking for win number three on the year was led to the top of the leaderboard thanks to four under-par rounds, the best of which came from junior Sean Crocker.
Crocker, tied for third, shot a 4-under 68 by pouring in five birdies and only one bogey.
Also leading the Trojans on Monday were freshman Cheng Jin (T5; -3), sophomore Justin Suh (T7; -2) and senior Rico Hoey (T12; -1).
The medalist race is being paced thus far by California sophomore Collin Morikawa. Looking for his first collegiate win, Morikawa turned in a 6-under 66 first round and he leads Maverick McNealy by a shot.
Teeing off on No. 1, Morikawa birdied five-times on the front side, including three in a row from holes 3-5. Looking to keep the momentum going on the second nine, Morikawa birdied three more times against just two bogeys.
Stanford's McNealy, looking for his program record 12th individual win is in second place following a 5-under 67. McNealy birdied a trio of times and bogeyed twice on the first nine before finding another gear on the homeward side with a bogey-free three birdie nine.
Along with Crocker Pepperdine's Joshua McCarthy is tied for third at 4-under while Jin and Hayden Wood of Oklahoma State are 3-under in a tie for fifth.
ABOUT THE
Southern Highlands Collegiate
54 hole men's college tournament hosted by UNLV.
Team (best four scores of five players each day) and
individual competitions.
View Complete Tournament Information