Lutz's 70, And Spilman's 71 Keep Men's Golf Within Striking Distance At The Big West Championship

Monday, May 1

Santa Barbara, CA

1:10 PM

UC Riverside

Big West Conference Championship

Lutz's 70, And Spilman's 71 Keep Men's Golf Within Striking Distance At The Big West Championship

5/1/2017 9:23:00 PM | Men's Golf

Santa Barbara, CA–Matt Lutz shot an opening round two-under 70, and Andrew Spilman carded a one-under par 71 to help keep the UC Riverside Men's Golf Team in fifth and within striking distance after the first round of the Big West Championship at Sandpiper Golf Club. (day one results)

Lutz opened with a par at the first, before going bogey, birdie, bogey, birdie on holes 2-5 on his way to an even par front side 36.

He opened with a birdie on the 390 par 10th, but gave the shot right back with a hiccup on the picturesque par 3 11th. The junior form Placentia settled in and played his final six holes bogey free with a pair of birdies to get his final tally to 70, and join the five-way tie for fifth.

Spilman was one of three Highlanders to make birdie the par 5 opening hole. He made the turn at even par, before posting three birdies against two bogeys on the back nine for a 71– his second-career round under in the conference championship.

Senior Sam Gillis did well to overcome an early double bogey in working his round back to even par. His back nine included a stretch of three birdies on holes 13-16 on the way to 72.

The Highlanders (288, E) are fifth, and trail the trio of leaders, Cal Poly, UC Santa Barbara and Long Beach State, by six shots.

CSUN's Felix Mory holds the day one lead having carded a four-under 68 out of the final pairing on the course along side Gillis.

UCR will once again be paired with Hawai'i and the Matadors in tomorrow's second round which gets underway at 11:30 for the Highlanders off hole no. 1.