SANTA CRUZ, Calif. – For the second time in program history, the Pepperdine men's golf team won the Western Intercollegiate on Wednesday afternoon, and graduate student Derek Hitchner became the third Wave in as many years to finish as the tournament's medalist. 

Hitchner's victory marks the first tournament win of his career.  He became the third-straight Wave to win the famed blue jacket given to the winner of the Western Intercollegiate, as Joe Highsmith and Dylan Menante finished as medalists in 2021 and 2022 respectively as well.  Pepperdine had also won the team title in 2021, going on to win the NCAA Championship later that year.

The Waves finished 9-strokes ahead of Oregon in second, finishing with a 16-under 1,034 (345-328-361) at the par-70, 6,514-yard Pasatiempo Golf Course.  Pepperdine set records after round two, shattering the tournament's previous 18-hole record of 14-under 336 with a 22-under 328.  The team's 36-hole score of 673 (-27) was also a new tournament record.

Pepperdine had five players finish in the top-20, led by Hitchner with the first-place finish.  Sam Choi had a stellar performance throughout the week, finishing fourth, while William Mouw, Luke Gifford and Ian Maspat finished 13^th, tied for 14^th and tied for 19^th respectively. 
Tournament coverage aired on the Golf Channel all three days. 

Waves win the Western Intercollegiate and Derek Hitchner picks up his first-ever career title! 🥲#WavesUp #PeppProud

📽️ RJ Garcia (SJSU) pic.twitter.com/3IDDGbxpDH
— Pepperdine Men's Golf (@PeppGolf) April 13, 2023
 

PLAYER SCORES

• Graduate Derek Hitchner (Minneapolis, Minn./The Blake School) finished with a three-round score of 203 (68-64-71) for the tournament win, marking 13 birdies throughout the tournament, including seven in the second round.  His 13 birdies tied for second-most this week.
• Graduate Sam Choi (Anaheim, Calif./New Mexico) finished in fourth with a score of 205 (66-65-74).  He had 10 birdies through three rounds and eagled the par-3 16^th hole in the first round.  He had better par-4 scoring than any other competitor in the tournament with a 3.80 par-4 scoring average, shooting 6-under in all par-4s.
• Senior William Mouw (Chino, Calif./Ontario Christian HS) finished with a score of 209 (69-69-71).  He marked eight birdies throughout the tournament and was one of only two golfers to record two eagles – one on the 6^th hole in the first round and one on the 13^th hole in the third round.  His par-5 scoring tied the tournament-best, as he and two others record par-5 scoring averages of 4.22 to finish 7-under on only par-5's. 
• Graduate Luke Gifford (Boca Raton, Fla./South Florida) had a strong tournament with a final score of 210 (69-67-74) to finish tied for 14^th.  He posted 12 birdies throughout, which tied for third-most among all competitors.
• Sophomore Ian Maspat (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch HS) led all competitors with the most birdies throughout the tournament, charting 15.  He ended with a final score of 213 (73-69-71) to finish tied for 19^th.
• Graduate Roberto Nieves (Miami, Fla./Delaware) finished tied for 34^th with a 217 (77-63-77).  His 63 in the second round tied the tournament single round record, a feat which had been accomplished only twice before.  He put in 10 birdies, including eight in the second round alone, and eagled the 13^th hole in the final round.
• Competing as an individual, freshman Brady Siravo (Sacramento, Calif./Jesuit HS) finished tied for 48^th with a score of 219 (71-70-78).  He marked nine birdies. 

Catch up with head coach Michael Beard after the Waves won the Western Intercollegiate today! pic.twitter.com/N3gsqLybZb
— Pepperdine Men's Golf (@PeppGolf) April 13, 2023
 

THE NUMBERS
Team Scores: 1. Pepperdine 1,034; 2. Oregon 1,043; 3. California 1,050; 4. Stanford 1,068; T5. BYU 1,069; T5. Colorado State 1,069; 7. UNLV 1,076; 8. San Diego State 1,078; 9. Arizona 1,080; 10. San Jose State 1,090; 11. USC 1,092; 12. Washington 1,093; 13. Hawai'i 1,096; 14. UC Irvine 1,100.

Top Individuals: 1. Derek Hitchner (Pepperdine) 203; T2. Yuki Moriyama (UNLV) 204; T2. Owen Avrit (Oregon) 204; 4. Sam Choi (Pepperdine) 205; 5. Sampson Zheng (Cal) 206; T6. Christoph Bleier (Colorado State) 208; T6. Gregory Solhaug (Oregon) 208; T6. Davis Bryant (Colorado State) 208; T6. Aaron Du (Cal) 208; T6. Darien Zhao (UCI) 208; T6. Caden Fioroni (UNLV) 208; T6. Keanu Akina (BYU) 208.

Catch up with head coach Michael Beard after the Waves won the Western Intercollegiate today! pic.twitter.com/N3gsqLybZb
— Pepperdine Men's Golf (@PeppGolf) April 13, 2023
 

UP NEXT
On April 27-29, the Waves will head to Bremerton, Wash. for the West Coast Conference Championships.

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
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