2023 NNU Nighthawks Invitational Results (Round One)

LIVERMORE, Calif. – A total of three Urban Knights are in the top 20 after the first round of the 2023 NNU Nighthawks Invitational on Monday, which has Academy of Art men's golf in sixth place as unit after the team combined for 19-over-par 307 in their opening round of the spring 2023 season. 

Leading the way on the first day of action was the trio of sophomore Anson Pan and juniors Jack DeBenedetti and Allan Osornio, with Pan in a tie for 13th at 3-over-par 75 while both DeBenedetti and Osornio were tied for 19th by carding a 4-over-par 76. Pan began his day one the first hole and nearly went right to work, dropping birdies on the second and third holes before grabbing one more on the seventh hole to help him make the turn at 1-over-par. While he collected only one on the back nine on the 11th, the back nine was more steady as he closed out his day.

Meanwhile, it was slightly different rounds with the same success for DeBenedetti and Osornio, as Osornio got up-and-down for par a total of 14 times without recording a birdie (tied for most in tournament field). For DeBenedetti, he produced a trio of pars in his round with two coming during his back round on the 12th and 16th holes to end his back nine at just 1-over-par. Rounding out the team scoring was sophomore Giulio Zanichelli, who is tied for 38th at 8-over-par 80. 

Out in front of the team portion is fellow Pacific West Conference member in Dominican, as the Penguins combined for a 2-over-par 291 to hold a slight five-stroke lead over second place Cal State East Bay with a 8-over-par 296. Leading the individual portion of the tournament is another PacWest golfer, as Edvin Backstrom of Holy Names was the only golfer to score in the red with a 1-under-par 71.  

The 2023 NNU Nighthawks Invitational will conclude with the final round tomorrow beginning at 8 a.m.