SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – The Pepperdine men's golf team got off to a good start on Friday at the NCAA Championships on the par-70 Raptor Course at Grayhawk Golf Club, opening the action tied for second. 

Teeing off in the morning wave of the first round, but still amidst weather in the high-90's, the Waves shot a 1-over 281 and sit only one stroke behind Georgia Tech in first place.  It was a tight round, as no teams hit below par today and 10 teams hit within the five-over mark.

Pepperdine is nine shots ahead of the teams in 16^th and four strokes ahead of the teams in ninth.  The top 15 teams will advance after Sunday's third round, and the top eight teams after Monday's fourth round will qualify for match play. 

The two-time national champions have advanced to the NCAA finals for the fourth-consecutive time and for the 13^th time overall.

PLAYER SCORES

• Graduate Roberto Nieves (Miami, Fla./Delaware) had a solid round to open the tournament, carding a 2-under 68 to tie for sixth and lead the Waves.  He posted five birdies, including two in his first four holes of the day.  He closed out the day with three birdies in his last eight holes as well.
• Graduate Sam Choi (Anaheim, Calif./New Mexico) is tied for 19^th after shooting an even 70.  He started the round hot with two back-to-back birdies, before a double-bogey evened him out.  He then went the next 14-straight holes without an error and marked a birdie on the fourth, though he did even his round out again on the 18^th to end the day.
• Graduate Luke Gifford (Boca Raton, Fla./South Florida) also finished tied for 19^th, staying even with par at 70.  He had four birdies overall, including two on each the front and back nine.
• Senior William Mouw (Chino, Calif./Ontario Christian HS) is tied for 70^th.  He ended the round with a 3-over 73, though he highlighted the day with two birdies, including his final ninth hole.
• Graduate Derek Hitchner (Minneapolis, Minn./The Blake School) is also tied for 70^th after also shooting a 3-over 73.  He came out of the starting gates firing with four birdies in his first five holes, but his round was later plagued by bogeys to send him over the even marker.  He ended with a team-best six birdies overall.

THE NUMBERS
Team Scores: 1. Georgia Tech 280; T2. Pepperdine 281; T2. Arkansas 281; T4. North Carolina 282; T4. Texas Tech 282; T4. Vanderbilt 282; 7. Florida 283; 8. Florida State 284; T9. Georgia 285; T9. Illinois 285; T9. San Francisco 285; T12. Oklahoma 287; T12. Ohio State 287; 14. Auburn 288; T15. Texas A&M 289; T15. BYU 289; T17. Alabama 290; T17. Duke 290; T17. Virginia 290; T17. Stanford 290; T21. Arizona State 291; T21. Mississippi State 291; T23. Oregon 292; T23. Colorado 292; 25. New Mexico 293; 26. Chattanooga 294; 27. Texas 295; 28. Colorado State 296; 29. East Tennessee State 302; 30. Baylor 304.

Top Individuals: 1. Ross Steelman (Georgia Tech) 64; T2. M. Fernandez De Oliveras (Arkansas) 66; T2. Matthew Watkins (New Mexico) 66; T2. Cole Sherwood (Vanderbilt) 66; 5. Wil Gibson (Arkansas) 67; T6. Roberto Nieves (Pepperdine) 68; T6. A. Dumont de Chassar (Illinois) 68; T6. Drew Goodman (Oklahoma) 68; T6. Matthew Comegys (Texas Tech) 68; T6. Barclay Brown (Stanford) 68; T6. Dylan Menante (North Carolina) 68; T6. Carson Bacha (Auburn) 68; T6. Matthew Anderson (San Francisco) 68.

UP NEXT:
The Waves will be paired with Florida and Florida State again for the second round, though this time they will face the afternoon heat, teeing off at 11:30 a.m. on the first tee.