CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico – Cal (304, +20) is in 14th place after the opening round of the prestigious Querencia Cabo Collegiate that features five of the nation's top-10 teams and eight of the top 25. Collin Morikawa and Sean Yu are leading the Golden Bears' effort with each tied for 16th place after opening rounds of one-under par 70 on Friday at the 6,928-yard Querencia Golf Club.

"We needed Collin and Sean to put up good rounds and they did," Alex and Marie Shipman Director of Men's Golf Walter Chun said.

Morikawa, who started his round on the sixth hole of a shotgun start, birdied a pair of par fives (9, 4) and one par-four (3) during his round while he had a pair of bogeys on the par-three eighth and par-four 13th.

"It was a pretty smooth round," Morikawa said. "I hit a couple of shots that were not needed which led to bogeys but was able to come back with two birdies to finish my round. Putting held me back today, but if I get that going the next couple of days birdies will start to role in."

Yu started on the eighth hole and after a bogey on the par-five ninth played his final 16 holes in two-under par with birdies on the par-four fifth and par-four sixth when he chipped in from about 15 yards.

Clayton Madey (72nd, 80, +9), Tanner Hughes (T76th, 84, +13) and Walker Huddy (79th, 85, +14) are also in the Cal lineup with all but Morikawa playing both the event and course for the first time.

"Today, golf got the better of the guys with the exception of Collin and Sean," Chun said. "The course is very punitive, and if you aren't hitting the ball well or playing scared, Querencia will expose and punish you."

Oklahoma State and Texas are tied for the team lead after 18 holes following 11-under par rounds of 273 on Friday. Wake Forest's Paul McBride (65, -6) is the first-round individual leader.

The Querencia Cabo Collegiate will continue with 18 holes of second-round action Monday with the first tee time at 9 am MT/8 am PT. Cal will play in the same group as the nation's No. 1 team Vanderbilt, Rice and five individuals beginning at 11:15 am MT/10:15 am PT.

"We have two more rounds to go, and it's good for this team to face adversity on this type of course in this high-quality national field," Chun said. "Our backs are against the ball, so let's fight back."

"Playing in one of the toughest fields of the year, you could easily see our struggles on the course," Morikawa said. "Keeping it in play is very important out here and we just had too many mistakes today. For tomorrow and Tuesday, we really have to focus and be ready to play some good golf. We've been in these situations before and from that, we can use what we have learned and finish the last two days strong."
 
QUERENCIA CABO COLLEGIATE (CO-HOSTED BY ARKANSAS AND HOUSTON)
CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO
QUERENCIA GOLF CLUB (PAR 71, 6928 YARDS)
 
TEAM LEADERBOARD (after 1 of 3 days/1 of 3 rounds/18 of 54 holes)
T1. Oklahoma State (273, -11)
T1. Texas (273, -11)
3. Wake Forest (277, -7)
T4. Baylor (281, -3)
T4. Georgia (281, -3)
6. Washington (282, -2)
T7. Florida State (288, +4)
T7. Mississippi (288, +4)
9. South Florida (289, +5)
10. Arkansas (292, +8)
T11. Houston  (293, +9)
T11. Duke (293, +9)
13. Vanderbilt (294, +10)
14. Cal (304, +20)
15. Rice 308, +24)
 
PLAYER LEADERBOARD – INDIVIDUAL LEADER (after 1 of 3 days/1 of 3 rounds/18 of 54 holes)
1. Paul McBride – Wake Forest (65, -6)
 
PLAYER LEADERBOARD – CAL INDIVIDUALS (after 1 of 3 days/1 of 3 rounds/18 of 54 holes)
T16. Collin Morikawa (70, -1)
T16. Sean Yu (70, -1)
72. Clayton Madey (80, +9)
T76. Tanner Hughes (84, +13)
79. Walker Huddy (85, +14)