MONTEREY, California – After ending the shortened spring season as the nation's #1 team, the Pepperdine men's golf team picked up right where it left off in the first tournament of the new season, as the Waves won the Pasadera Collegiate Invitational by 28 strokes after shooting 46-under.
Joshua McCarthy defeated teammate
Dylan Menante in a playoff for his first college title.
The Waves finished with a two-day total of a 46-under 794 (265-264-265) at the par-70 Club at Pasadera. This tournament featured five West Coast Conference schools.
Pepperdine was on pace to break its school record of 52-under for a tournament for a while, but cooled off on the back nine and wound up with the second-best 54-hole score in program history.
Ten Waves were in attendance and they all finished among the top 18. The Waves had the top four players in the individual standings and had seven of the top nine finishers. McCarthy and Menante each finished with a 14-under 196, three shots better than anyone else. The 14-unders tied the sixth-best 54-hole scores in team history.
The 28-stroke margin of victory tied the third-largest in program history.
PLAYER SCORES
- Senior Joshua McCarthy (Danville, Calif./De La Salle HS) had the best score of the final round, a 6-under 64. He was two shots back of Menante, who was already in the clubhouse, but eagled 17 to pull even. After winding up with a 14-under 196 (64-68-64), he won on the second hole of the playoff with a short birdie putt. He had five birdies in his first seven holes today, and ended up with eight birdies and the eagle. He wound up with 17 birdies overall.
- Playing as an individual, sophomore Dylan Menante (Carlsbad, Calif./Sage Creek HS) was the leader heading into the final round. His 14-under 196 went 62-65-69 and he had two birdies today.
- Junior Joe Highsmith (Lakewood, Wash./Bellarmine Preparatory School) tied for third place with an 11-under 199 (66-64-69). He had one eagle and one birdie in the final round.
- Playing as an individual, senior Joey Vrzich (El Cajon, Calif./Christian HS/Nevada) also tied for third with an 11-under 199 (65-67-67). He had six of his 17 birdies today.
- Freshman Caden Fioroni (San Diego, Calif./Torrey Pines HS) tied for fifth in his college debut with a 10-under 200 (67-66-67). His final round had five birdies and he had 17 overall.
- Sophomore William Mouw (Chino, Calif./Ontario Christian HS) tied for seventh with an 8-under 202 (68-66-68). He had six birdies today.
- Playing as an individual, junior Derek Hitchner (Minneapolis, Minn./The Blake School) also tied for seventh with an 8-under 202 (67-67-68). He had three birdies during the final round.
- Senior Clay Feagler (Laguna Niguel, Calif./Dana Hills HS) tied for 12th with a 4-under 206 (71-69-66). He got off to a torrid start today, with five birdies and an eagle in the first seven holes.
- Playing as an individual, senior RJ Manke (Lakewood, Wash./Bellarmine Prep) tied for 14th with a 3-under 207 (73-64-70). He had four birdies and an eagle in the final round.
- Playing as an individual, senior Austin Murphy (Morgan Hill, Calif./Bellarmine College Preparatory) tied for 17th with a 2-under 208 (70-68-70). He had three birdies on the day.
UP NEXT
The Waves will next travel to Texas for the Maridoe Collegiate Invitational on October 18-20. The Big 12-heavy event will feature many of the nation's top teams. At the same time, Pepperdine will send some individuals to the second of three WCC fall tournaments, the La Purisma College Invite in Lompoc, Calif.
THE NUMBERS
Team Scores: 1. Pepperdine 794; 2. Loyola Marymount 822; 3. San Diego 827; 4. Saint Mary's 829; 5. BYU 842.
Top Individuals: 1. Joshua McCarthy (Pepperdine) 196**;
2. Dylan Menante (Pepperdine) 196;
T3. Joe Highsmith (Pepperdine) 199;
T3. Joey Vrzich (Pepperdine) 199;
T5. Caden Fioroni (Pepperdine) 200; T5. Riley Lewis (Loyola Marymount) 200.
** won in a playoff
