Bandon, Ore.----- A strong team finish over the last three holes propelled the San Jose State University men's golf team to a third-place tie with #10-ranked SMU after the first round of the Bandon Dunes Championship.
The Spartans, ranked 59th in the most recent GolfStat rankings, posted a team score of 299 on the par 72, 6,954-yard Bandon Dunes Resort Course. San Jose State played its final three holes even par to move up the 17-team leaderboard.
Kevin Velo led the way for the Spartans with an even par 72. Velo was on fire early with three birdies in his first seven holes, but was even after playing nine. He needed a birdie on the 7th hole, his final hole of the day to record only one of eight scores in the 108-player field of level par or better.
Southpaws Bryce Wortman and Matt Heitel each had two birdies in their rounds and signed for a three-over 75. Sean Yu birdied his last hole to finish with a counting 77. The Spartans did not count Ben Campbell's 78.
Parker Sisk and Nate Jetter are playing in the tournament as individual entries. Sisk had a 78 and Jetter posted an 80. Jetter had one of just eight eagles on the day when he opened the tournament with an eagle-2 on his first hole, the par 4, 363-yard, 17th hole.
Ohio State is the team leader with a 291. Utah is second at 294. Only three strokes separate San Jose State and SMU from tenth place Boise State at 302. North Carolina State, #19-nationally, and North Carolina Wilmington are in range of the leaders tie for 11th place at 308.
Ohio State's Daniel Witterich is the tournament leader at three-under 69. Utah's Blake Tomlinson was the only other player in the field to break par with his two-under 70.
The 54-hole tournament continues Monday, March 11, with 18 holes and is scheduled to conclude on Tuesday, March 12 with a third round of 18 holes. GolfStat is providing live scoring.
Bandon Dunes Championship
Bandon Dunes Resort, Bandon, Ore.
6,954 yards, par 72
March 10, 2019
Round 1 of 3 results
| Team scores | |
| 1. Ohio State | 291 |
| 2. Utah | 294 |
| 3. San Jose State | 299 |
| SMU | 299 |
| 5. Fresno State | 300 |
| Denver | 300 |
| Oregon State | 300 |
| South Carolina Upstate | 300 |
| 9. Oregon | 301 |
| 10. Boise State | 302 |
| 11. North Carolina State | 308 |
| North Carolina Wilmington | 308 |
| 13. CSUN | 309 |
| 14. Gonzaga | 310 |
| 15. Utah Valley | 315 |
| 16. Washington State | 320 |
| 17. Idaho | 321 |
| Leading individuals | |
| 1. Daniel Wetterich, Ohio State | 69 |
| 2. Blake Tomlinson, Utah | 70 |
| 3. Kevin Velo, San Jose State | 72 |
| Jordan Warnock, South Carolina Upstate | 72 |
| Esteban Missura, Denver | 72 |
| Tristan Mandur, Utah | 72 |
| Jack Mancinotti (ind.), Ohio State | 72 |
| Jackson Markham (ind), SMU | 72 |
| Other San Jose State scores | |
| 22. Bryce Wortman | 75 |
| 22. Matt Heitel | 75 |
| 45. Sean Yu | 77 |
| 61. Ben Campbell | 78 |
| 61. Parker Sisk (ind.) | 78 |
| 79. Nate Jetter (ind.) | 80 |