SAN JOSE, CA -- New Mexico State has an 11-stroke lead over Boise State after the first round of the 47th annual Western Athletic Conference men's golf championship. The Aggies shot a 2-under 286 in the first round at the 6,853-yard, par-72 Cinnabar Hills Golf Club in San Jose, Calif. New Mexico State's Josh Stewart is the early first round leader, posting a 5-under 67 after an eagle-birdie-par finish.
Stewart's 3-under finish over the last three holes, leapfrogged him over Boise State's Troy Merritt, the nation's scoring leader with a 69.2 stroke average coming into the WAC championship. Merritt shot a 4-under 68 and has a one-stroke lead over New Mexico State's Kevin Lozares. Merritt also had an eagle in the first round after holing out on the 360-yard par-4 14th. Merritt has won the past four tournaments he has played and six overall during the 2007-08 season. Stewart, Merritt and Lozares were the only three players under par today.
On the team leaderboard, Boise State is in second place after a first round total of 297. Fresno State (305) is third followed by host San Jose State (307), Nevada (308) and Idaho (309). Louisiana Tech and Utah State are tied for seventh at 311 while Hawai?i (324) is ninth.
The three-day tournament continues on Tuesday with second-round tee times beginning at 7:30 a.m.
WHAT:
2008 WAC Men's Golf Championship
WHERE:
Cinnabar Hills Golf Club
San Jose, Calif. (San Jose State, host)
WHEN:
April 28-30, 2008