Antonio Safe Heads into the Final Day Tied for Fifth at Pac-12 Championships

Men’s Golf | April 27, 2024

CAREFREE, Ariz.— The USC men’s golf team finished out its second round and played in its third round of the Pac-12 Championship on Saturday, Apr. 27 at Desert Forest Golf Club. The course continued to challenge the field, as no team finished under par. The Trojans finished the day at a tournament total of 79-over (374+396+374=1144), after closing out their third round at 19-over (67+74+77+78+78=374). Following two days of play in windy conditions, the team is in 11^th.
 
Arizona State, the tournament host, moved into the lead on day two and currently sits at 30-over, three shots in front of Washington, who led the tournament after day one. 
 
Antonio Safa flipped a switch today and posted one of his best scores of the season. After finishing out his second round on Friday morning with two pars at a score of eight-over (78), the sophomore opened his third round in Arizona with three birdies in his first four holes. He would go on to make two more birdies and an eagle on his final hole of the day to finish out his round at four-under (67). He leads the Trojans after a strong round that was the second best 18 hole round of the day, as he sits in a tie for fifth with a tournament total of three-over par. 
 
Senior Krando Nishiba, who was the leading Trojan yesterday, fought hard in the windy conditions. Through five holes, he sat at one-under, but would fall back with a final third-round score of seven-over (78). After three rounds, Nishiba sits at a total of 14-over in a tie for 34th.
 
Arizona Native Gavin Aurilia, who sat at two-under through 5 holes, lost a few shots on the final few holes to finish at six-over par (77) in his third round. Through 54 holes, Aurilia is in a tie for 41st at a total of 15-over par, sitting one shot behind his teammate, Krando Nishiba.
 
The second-best round for the Trojans today came from Sam Lape who made four birdies en route to his three-over finish (74). After three days Lape sits one shot behind his freshman teammate Nico Dominguez at 25-over in a tie for 64th. Dominguez, who’s total through 54 holes is 24-over, shot seven-over (78), moving him to the position of solo 63rd.
 
Shane Ffrench currently sits in 70th place at 49-over, after a round that saw him finish in 25-over (96). 
 
Though the sun was shining today in…