Du Ties Western Intercollegiate 18-Hole Record

Larissa Leck/Cal Athletics

Aaron Du became the third golfer to shoot a seven-under par 63 at the Western Intercollegiate on Monday.

MGOLF4/10/2023 8:24 PM | By: Cal Athletics

Golden Bears In Front After First Round At Pasatiempo Golf Club

SANTA CRUZ – Aaron Du became just the third golfer to shoot a seven-under par 63 at the Western Intercollegiate as he tied the tournament’s low 18-hole record and led the California men’s golf team to the top of the leaderboard after one round played at Pasatiempo Golf Club on Monday.
 
The Golden Bears shot a collective 16-under 334 in the first round and own a one-stroke lead on a talented 14-team field that features nine top-50 teams, including five ranked among the top 25. No. 22 Oregon (-15) and No. 8 Stanford (-11) claimed second and third place, respectively, at the first round’s conclusion.
 
Du set the tone for Cal’s hot start, shooting 4-under through the first nine holes, including birdies on holes 4 and 7 along with an eagle on 9. After moving to 8-under with four birdies in a five-hole span between 11 and 15, Du found himself in position to break the tournament’s 18-hole record before a bogey at 16 moved him back to 7-under. Du tied Pepperdine’s Jason Allred (2000) and Xavier’s John Streibich (2007) for the low 18-hole record.
 
“Preparation is key,” Du said during an interview with GOLF Channel following his first-round performance. “I’ve played this course twice – once my freshman year and once last year – and just having that experience prepared me for this week.”
 
Cal has four golfers among the top-nine individually through Monday’s first round, with Sampson Zheng (-4), Jeewon Park (-3) and Daniel Heo (-3) joining Du toward the top of the leaderboard. The quartet shot a combined 10-under par on the back nine; both Du and Park carded four birdies apiece while Heo notched an eagle on hole 10. Du, Park and Heo all set or tied their personal collegiate single-round lows as well.
 
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