PHOENIX, Ariz. (March 12, 2024) – Washington State men's golf finished day one of the GCU Invitational in third place at 10-under, 558 through 36 holes at the par-71 GCU Golf Course.

"We got off to a good start in round one and played some nice golf," said Head Coach Dustin White. "The second round was a different story, but the guys hung in there and were able to finish well. Hopefully we can use that momentum for the final round and make a run down the stretch. We haven't hit our stride yet, and maybe that's what tomorrow can be."

WSU was in second place after round one at 8-under, 276 behind an excellent round from sophomore Sam Renner who ended the round in a two-way tie for first at 6-under, 65.

Renner birdied two holes on the front nine to turn the corner at 2-under, and then eagled hole 10 before rattling off three more birdies the rest of the way for a 6-under, 65 first-round score. He finished round two at an even-par, 71 with four birdies and four bogeys to end the day in a tie for fifth place at 6-under, 136.

Senior Preston Bebich sits tied for 20th at 2-under, 140 after two rounds. He had a pair of birdies on the front nine and tacked on three more on the back nine for a 3-under score of 68 in round one. In round two he double-bogeyed hole three but locked in from there, recording three birdies and 12 pars the rest of the way to finish round two at 1-over, 72.

Fifth year Pono Yanagi and senior Nate Plaster are both tied for 32nd with even scores of 142. Yanagi started strong as he birdied two of his first three holes, and then parred all nine holes on the back end to wrap up round one at 1-over, 72. He continued into the second round where he finished 1-under, 70 behind three birdies and 11 pars.

Plaster started the first 10 holes at 3-over, but then settled in using a pair of birdies down the stretch to finish round one at 2-over, 72. Then he led the team in round two with a 2-under score of 69, scattering five birdies, 10 pars and three bogeys.

Redshirt freshman Ben Borgida is tied for 51st at 3-over, 145 through two rounds. He double bogeyed his first hole, and bogeyed two more over his first 10 holes, but he turned around and finished strong with four birdies over his final eight holes for an even 71. Borgida had a strong second round with three birdies and 12 pars, but a pair of double bogeys put him at 3-over, 74.

Senior Drayton Joseph played as an individual, and put together two great rounds to go into day two tied for fifth at 6-under, 136. He finished with a 4-under score of 67 in round one with two birdies on the front nine, an eagle on hole 10 and three more birdies on the rest of the back nine. He scattered four birdies and just a pair of bogeys on the front nine in round two to finish at 2-under, 69.

The Cougars will wrap up the GCU Invitational on Wednesday, March 13 with the final 18 holes starting at 8 a.m. PT at the GCU Golf Course in Phoenix, Ariz.