The Idaho men’s golf team flew to Hawaii not for a vacation, but a business trip. The Vandals competed in the Warrior Princeville Makai Invitational Monday in Princeville, Hawaii, and sit in sixth place after the first round. Idaho shot a 7-under-par 281.
The Vandals are nine strokes behind first-place Georgia Tech, which shot a 16-under-par 272. Mississippi is in second place after firing a 15-under-par 273 and San Diego is in third place after firing a 14-under-par 274.
Idaho is four strokes behind fourth-place Arizona State and one stroke behind fifth-place Cal Poly. The Vandals hold a two-stroke lead over McNeese State and Louisville, which are tied for seventh.
The 15-team field will play the second round Tuesday and the third and final round Wednesday.
The tournament is the final one of the fall season for Idaho.
Idaho sophomore Jared du Toit shot the lowest score of the day for the Vandals. Du Toit finished the first round with a 4-under-par 68 to put himself in a tie for 12th place. Du Toit is four strokes behind the leader, Pepperdine’s Frederick Wedel, who shot an 8-under-par 64 in the first round.
Senior Aaron Cockerill, who was named Big Sky Conference men’s Golfer of the Week last week, shot a 2-under-par 70 to tie for 20th heading into the second round.
Junior Rylee Iacolucci carded a 1-under-par 71 and is tied for 28th. Freshman Daniel Sutton is right behind Iacolucci after shooting an even-par 72 in the first round. Sutton is tied for 33rd.
Sophomore Ryan Porch shot a 1-over-par 73 and is tied for 43rd.
San Diego’s Grant Forrest is in second place after shooting a 7-under-par 65 and four golfers are tied for third after they shot 6-under-par 66.
Garrett Cabeza can be reached at [email protected]