Stockton, Calif.----- The San Jose State University men's golf team fought off an early morning rain delay and turned in one of its best team rounds of the fall season and is in second place heading into final round of the Visit Stockton Pacific Invitational.
The Spartans warmed up quickly and by the end of the day turned in the second team score of the day and the fourth best team score for the three-day tournament, a 13-under 271. San Jose state has a 36-hole total of 22-under par 546 and is four strokes behind tournament leader for each of the first two days Washington State which has a 542.
The Spartans' four counting scores all were under-par led by Caleb Shetler's five-under par 66. Freshman Nick Watts turned in a four-under par 67. Kristopher Stiles and Carl Corpus posted scores of two-under par 69. San Jose State did not count Vijay Srinivasan's one under-par 70.
Brigham Young at 547, Saint Mary's at 549, and Utah at 550 round out the top-five teams in the 15-team field playing the par 71, Stockton Country Club course.
"It was an awkward day. There was a little bit of rain, but by the end of the day, the weather turned out quite nice (for golf). Our guys did well sticking to the game plan and we still can make improvements," said San Jose State University men's golf coach John Kennaday whose team is the tournament's defending champion from 2019.
"You've got to play the golf course, not the score. It's a matter of staying in the present, getting focused and being in the right place when opportunities arise."
Shetler's 66 moved him into a two-way tie with Brigham Young's Cole Ponich for third place at eight-under 134. Carl Corpus is tied for 13th place at 137.
Watts, Stiles and Srinivasan are tied 20th place at 139. Freshman Zubair Firdaus, playing as an individual entry, is tied fo 41st place at even par 142.
Utah's Javier Barcos and Saint Mary's Kristian Bressum are one-two, respectively, with 129 and 132 scores after 36 holes.
The 54-hole tournament concludes with 18 holes on October 23. San Jose State's team tee times begin at 9:15 a.m. and going through 9:51 a.m. weather permitting.
