Du, Bears Start Spring Strong

Aaron Du’s 5-under-par 66 paced Cal in the first round of the Southwestern Invitational on Monday.

MGOLF1/29/2024 4:19 PM | By: Cal Athletics

Du, Bears Start Spring Strong Cal In Contention After First Round Of Spring Season At Southwestern Invitational

WESTLAKE VILLAGE – Aaron Du was dominant in his first round of the 2024 spring season, shooting a 5-under-par 66 to lead the No. 18 California men’s golf team to an opening-round 281 at the Southwestern Invitational on Monday at North Ranch Country Club.
 
The Golden Bears finished the first round in fifth place at 3-under-par, just four strokes behind leader Texas Tech (-7). Du – a senior who played just three rounds as an individual in the fall – was impressive from start to finish, carding five birdies on the front nine before bouncing back from consecutive bogeys on holes 12-13 with a 1-under effort over the final five holes. He ended his round as the clubhouse leader and will head into Tuesday’s second round in a three-way tie for second place individually, four shots behind UNLV’s Caden Fioroni (-9).
 
Freshman Ethan Fang started hot with birdies on three of his first five holes – No. 2, 3 and 5 – and rebounded from a difficult middle stretch with another birdie on the hole 13, a par-3, and an eagle on hole 15. Redshirt junior Tony Chen had an eventful back nine with three birdies on holes 11, 12 and 16 sandwiching a bogey on 14 and double bogey on 15 to finish at even par and tied for 25th.
 
TEAM LEADERBOARD