FAIRFAX, Calif. – Collin Morikawa fired the lowest round of his collegiate career with a seven-under par 64 that included 10 birdies to open play Monday at the Alister MacKenzie Invitational being hosted by Cal. Morikawa (64-69 – 133, -9) was tied for second one shot off the lead after the first 18 holes of play at Meadow Club before a second-round two-under 69 left him three off the pace of second-round leader Ki Taek Lee of Arizona State (66-64 – 130, -12) heading into Tuesday's final round.

Tanner Hughes (68-70 – 138, -4) also had a solid day for the Bears and is tied for 22nd place, while Ben Doyle (72-69 – 141, -1) is the next Cal player on the leaderboard tied for 37th. William Aldred (75-68 – 143, +1) and Walker Huddy (73-70 – 143, +1) are also in the Cal lineup and in a tie for 52nd. Aldred had the team's best second-round with his four under-par 68 while Doyle equaled Morikawa's second-round 69.

Saint Mary's (270-274 – 544, -24) and Pepperdine (274-270 – 544, -24) are tied for the second-round lead with Arizona State (275-273 – 548, -20) and Oregon State (270-278 – 548) both four shots back while North Carolina State (270-279 – 549, -19) rounds out the top five. Cal (277-276 – 553, -15) is tied for ninth nine shots back.
"We played pretty well today, but we left some shots out there on the par-fives," said Alex and Marie Shipman Director of Men's Golf Walter Chun. "To be 15-under as a team and only be four-under on the par-fives speaks to how well the guys played throughout the course."

Morikawa started his record-setting round with a birdie on the par-five first and would also make birdie on each of the other two par fives (13, 15) his first time around the course as well as on six par-fours (4, 7, 10, 12, 16, 17) and the par-three fifth. Three bogeys on the par-four third, par-three 14th and par-four 18th prevented him from an even lower score. Morikawa would add another three birdies on three different holes than his 10 in the opening round his second time around the golf course on the par-four second and ninth and par-three 11th to only a single bogey on the par-five fourth.

"Today was a very consistent day where I was able to make many putts from 15 feet and in," Morikawa said. "My putter was hot in the morning then I just couldn't convert in the afternoon, but there were a lot of positives to take into tomorrow. I'm only a few back, but the only way to stay in contention is if I stay patient and play my game. There's still 18 holes left and anything can happen between them."

Morikawa's lowest round ever in any event was a 61 in the spring of 2015 as a high school senior at the Champions Invitational while his previous collegiate low was a six-under 65 in the opening round of the 2015 Alister MacKenzie Invitational.

Morikawa's performance Tuesday followed up two top-10 finishes last month for the sophomore that is coming off the best freshman season in Cal history when he became the first Golden Bear to earn Freshman All-American honors and earn the Pac-12's Freshman of the Year honor.

Four other Cal players are in the event as individuals with Stephen Griggs (71-68 – 139, -3) in a tie for 28th to lead a group that also includes Alexander Wilson (72-69 – 141, -1) in a tie for 37th, Clayton Madey (72-70 – 142, E) in a tie for 44th and Alex Helgans in a tie for 71st (76-72 – 148, +6).

Helgans, a student at Cal since the fall of 2012 and a former Cal student assistant coach, is playing in his first ever collegiate tournament. He was able to birdie eight holes during his two rounds during a wild day that also included seven bogeys, two doubles and a triple.

"It felt great to represent our school and golf program especially at our home tournament," Helgans said.

The third and final round of the 15th annual Alister MacKenzie Invitational gets underway Tuesday at 7:40 am PT. Players will tee off from the first and 10th holes.

"We have an important day tomorrow and have to have our best out there," Chun said.

ALISTER MACKENZIE INVITATIONAL (HOSTED BY CAL)
FAIRFAX, CA
MEADOW CLUB (PAR 71, 6734 YARDS)
 
TEAM LEADERBOARD (after 1 of 2 days/2 of 3 rounds/36 of 54 holes)
T1. Saint Mary's (270-274 – 544, -24)
T1. Pepperdine (274-270 – 544, -24)
T3. Arizona State (275-273 – 548, -20)
T3. Oregon State (270-278 – 548, -20)
5. North Carolina State (270-279 – 549, -19)
6. Minnesota (269-281 – 550, -18)
7. Brigham Young (270-281 – 551, -17)
8. Washington (273-279 – 552, -16)
T9. Cal (277-276 – 553, -15)
T9. San Diego State (268-285 – 553, -15)
11. Michigan State (274-281 – 555, -13)
12. Fresno State (280-283 – 563, -5)
13. San Jose State (283-285 – 568, E)
14. Loyola-Maryland (291-281 – 572, +4)
15. San Francisco (290-283 – 573, +5)
 
PLAYER LEADERBOARD – INDIVIDUAL LEADER (after 1 of 2 days/2 of 3 rounds/36 of 54 holes)
1. Ki Taek Lee – Arizona State (66-64 – 130, -12)

PLAYER LEADERBOARD – CAL INDIVIDUALS (after 1 of 2 days/2 of 3 rounds/36 of 54 holes)
T6. Collin Morikawa (64-69 – 133, -9)
T22. Tanner Hughes (68-70 – 138, -4)
^T28. Stephen Griggs (71-68 – 139, -3)
T37. Ben Doyle (72-69 – 141, -1)
^T37. Alexander Wilson (72-69 – 141, -1)
^T44. Clayton Madey (72-70 – 142, E)
^T52. William Aldred (75-68 – 143, +1)
T52. Walker Huddy (73-70 – 143, +1)
^T71. Alex Helgans (76-72 – 148, +6)
^Playing as an individual