LIHUE, Hawaii (February, 15, 2024) – Pono Yanagi matched a season-low score of 66, finishing 6-under, to lead Washington State during the first day of play at the 2024 John Burns Intercollegiate Thursday at the par-72, 7,156-yard Ocean Course at Hokuala.
Along with Yanagi, Preston Bebich also finished under par while Sam Renner and Drayton Joseph each finished even. Washington State sits tied for second overall with Grand Canyon at 10-under, 278, five strokes off the lead held by Long Beach State.
“It was a great way to start our spring season,” said Head Coach Dustin White. “I’m proud of how they all competed and are realizing you don’t have to play perfect to play well. We’re a third of the way to where we want to be, so we just need to continue to focus on what’s in front of us.”
The 10-under par opening round tied for the eighth-lowest single-round to par in program history.
After a double-bogey on his second hole, Yanagi went 8-under the rest of the round. He birdied the next two holes and turned it on the rest of the way, taking advantage of a par-five for an eagle on hole two, before recording four more birdies to round out the day. He finished tied for third with a 6-under, 66, two strokes off the lead.
Bebich had a steady day with seven birdies and eight for par. He opened the round with a birdie on 13, and added another on 18 before collecting three more birdies on the front nine. Bebich wrapped up the round with two-straight birdies to finish 4-under, 68, tied for eighth.
Renner parred his first six holes but was sitting at 4-over when he turned the corner to hole one. On the front nine, he parred hole one and then rattled off four-straight birdies before an eagle on the par-5 hole six. Renner added one more birdie on hole nine to finish even-par, 72, tied for 50th.
Joseph birdied three of his first four holes to sit 3-under. He collected a pair of birdies on the front nine before finishing the day with a double-bogey on 13 to also finish an even 72 to tie for 50th.
Ben Borgida finished with a pair of birdies on his round before finishing with a 7-over 79, tied for 113th.
Second-round play at the 2024 John Burns Intercollegiate continues Friday. WSU is scheduled to tee off at 10:30 a.m. PT.
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