Highsmith Helps Waves to Share of Lead in Georgia

Friday, October 22

Alpharetta, Ga.

Pepperdine University

Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate

Joe Highsmith

Photo by: Roger Horne

10/22/2021 2:59:00 PM | Men's Golf

Results

By: by Athletic Communications

ALPHARETTA, Georgia – Joe Highsmith's near-record round helped the Pepperdine men's golf team to a share of the first-round lead on Friday at the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate.

The Waves shot a 13-under 275 at the par-72 Golf Club of Georgia and are tied with Texas A&M. They're four shots ahead of third-place East Tennessee State.

Highsmith recorded a 9-under 63, one shot off the Pepperdine record and one shot away from the tournament record. He's got a one-stroke lead in the individual race.

The tournament features eight teams currently in Golfstat's top 25.

PLAYER SCORES

Senior Joe Highsmith (Lakewood, Wash./Bellarmine Prep) had a previous college-best 18-hole score of 6-under. His round began with his lone bogey on 1. After a pair of pars, he got hot. He ran off three straight birdies from 4 to 6, and then five straight from 8 to 12. After four consecutive pars, his round ended with two more birdies on 17 and 18, giving him 10 on the day.
Senior Joey Vrzich (El Cajon, Calif./Christian HS/Nevada) is tied for ninth after a 3-under 69. He had two birdies and an eagle on the par-5 ninth hole.
Junior William Mouw (Chino, Calif./Ontario Christian HS) is tied for 14th after a 2-under 70. He posted four birdies, including three in his first five holes.
Senior Derek Hitchner (Minneapolis, Minn./The Blake School) is tied for 36th after a 73. He notched four birdies during the first round.
Junior Dylan Menante (Carlsbad, Calif./Sage Creek HS) is tied for 46th after a 74. He had five birdies, four of them coming on the front nine.

UP NEXT

For Saturday's second round, the Waves will be paired with Georgia Tech and Tennessee. They'll start on the first tee beginning at 9:55 a.m. ET.

THE NUMBERS

Team Scores: T1. Pepperdine 275; T1. Texas A&M 275; 3. East Tennessee State 279; 4. Duke 280; 5. Tennessee 281; 6. Georgia Tech 282; 7. Wake Forest 283; 8. Stanford 286; 9. USC 287; 10. Clemson 289; 11. UCLA 291; 12. Virginia 292; 13. Georgia Tech "B" 295; 14. TCU 296; 15. Colorado State 303.

Top Individuals: 1. Joe Highsmith (Pepperdine) 63; 2. Alex Fitzpatrick (Wake Forest) 64; 3. Archie Davies (East Tennessee State) 66; 4. Karl Vilips (Stanford) 67; T5. four players tied at 68.