2022 PacWest Championship (First Round)

LITCHFIELD PARK, Ariz. – Entering the tournament as the defending Pacific West Conference champions, Academy of Art men's golf began its title defense in fourth place with a combined score of 13-over-par 301, while junior Matthew Watkins is chasing an individual title after ending his day in fourth place at 1-under-par 71. 

After nearly winning an individual title in 2021 with a third place finish, Watkins currently sits two strokes off the lead as one of just seven players in the tournament field to close day one in the red. Things got off to a hot start for Watkins, as he dropped an eagle out of the gate on the first hole, one of just two players to record one in the round. Despite the eagle and a birdie on the fourth hole, Watkins would make the turn at 1-over. However, his momentum would turn around on the back nine, finding birdies on holes 11, 14 and 15 to finish the round as one of five players in the red.

Among the top 10 on the leaderboard is freshman Jack DeBenedetti, ending his first round at 3-over-par 75 to tie for 10th place thanks to a pair of birdies split between the front and back nine. Just behind him in a tie for 12th place is freshman Giulio Zanichelli, carding a 4-over-par 76 after he birdied the opening hole. Meanwhile, the freshman duo of Anson Pan and Ralph Kho are each tied for 23rd place with identical scores of 7-over-par 79. 

Academy of Art is only eight strokes behind leader UH Hilo after the Vulcans combined for a 5-over-par 293, but it remains a crowded field as there are five teams all within 10 strokes of each other. Individually there is a three-way tie atop the leaderboard as Keita Okada of HPU, Neith Ng of UH Hilo, and Ryan Shields Vega of Chaminade all hold a share of the lead thanks to identical scores of 3-under-par 69. 

Round two of the PacWest Championship continues tomorrow first the first tee time set for 9 a.m.