Chico State Wildcat Classic (First Round)
CORNING, Calif. – Extremely high winds swirled all throughout the first round of the Chico State Wildcat Classic on Monday, but Academy of Art men's golf was unfazed by having to battle the conditions as well as the course, as the Urban Knights combined for a 25-over-par 313 to sit just four strokes off the lead. Helping to propel the Knights was junior
Matthew Watkins, as he carded an even-par 72 to end day one atop the leaderboard.
Watkins was the only golfer to shoot even par or better in the first round, doing so in wind gusts that were reaching up to 30 miles per hour. Despite a slow start after teeing off on the back nine, Watkins found his groove after he snagged three birdies and an eagle (on the seventh hole) to end his front nine at 3-under-par and help him claim the top spot in the tournament field. He was one of just three players to record an eagle on the day, with one of the other two being ART U freshman
Jack DeBenedetti.
Just behind Watkins is newcomer and sophomore Beau Willet in a three-way tie for third place at 4-over-par 76, as he used a pair of birdies in his final three holes on the front nine to remain in the top five. Also factoring into the scoring for the Urban Knights was freshman
Ralph Kho, who tied for 24th with a first round of 9-over-par 81 thanks to three birdies in his round, tying him for the most in the tournament field (along with Watkins and two others). Ending day one in a tie for 36th place was freshman
Anson Pan, carding a 12-over-par 84 with a single birdie.
Ahead of the Knights by four strokes on the leaderboard as a team is Stanislaus State, as the Warriors went 21-over-par on the day thanks to three golfers inside the top 10, including Chris Ebster in second place just three strokes behind Watkins. The next closest PacWest member is Dominican, sitting in fourth place at 30-over-par 318.
Due to the windy conditions, ART U will tee off for the final round of the Chico State Wildcat Classic tomorrow morning beginning at 8 a.m.
