During the first day of the West Coast Conference Championship held at San Juan Oaks Golf Club, the men’s St. Mary’s team showed exactly why it entered the tournament as the heavy favorite.
The Gaels fired the three lowest scores of the tournament’s first round to place them in a commanding 14-stroke lead over second-place Gonzaga.
St. Mary’s Jonathan De Los Reye fired the first-round low, shooting a seven-under 65. His day was four strokes better than teammates Ben Geyer and Eric Grimberg, who carded a three-under 69.
As a team, four St. Mary’s players finished inside the top 10.
Last year’s winners San Francisco carded a one-over 289 to place third — 15 strokes behind leaders St. Mary’s.
Gonzaga finished the day in second place with an even 288. Gonzaga’s Peter Gullickson finished in a three-way tie for second place with a three-under 69.
On the women’s side, San Francisco fired a 16-over 304 to take a four-shot lead heading into the second day over Seattle.
BYU’s Maggie Yuan led the individual scoring Monday, finishing the round with a two-over 74. Yuan finished the day with a one shot lead over San Francisco teammates Bethany Garton and Eyglo Oskarsdottir and Seattle teammates Caitlin McCleary and Lori Pearson.
Despite leading the individual scoring, BYU finished the day in a distance sixth place, carding a 31-over 319.
The second round of the tournament kicks off at 8 a.m. Tuesday.
The third and final round begins at the same time Wednesday.
