TEMPE, Ariz. – Two solid rounds of golf has Cal (279-275 – 554, -14) in fourth place after the first 36 holes of the ASU Thunderbird Invitational were completed Saturday at the ASU Karsten Golf Course. Collin Morikawa (65-66 – 131, -11) and Finigan Tilly (70-67 – 137, -5) lead the way for the Golden Bears in third and tied for ninth place, respectively.

"It's nice to be in fourth place because it shows we can play at a high level," Alex and Marie Shipman Director of Men's Golf Walter Chun said. "Coach Mina and I have emphasized concentration and composure. The guys showed that today. Tomorrow is a new day and more challenges await." We cannot worry about what other teams are doing. We just need to remain focused and composed."

Morikawa is in a familiar spot with 18 holes to go looking to add to his career totals of 13 top-10 and 19 top-20 finishes in his first 21 collegiate starts. In his most recent event, he reached a playoff for the first time in his collegiate career before falling in the first playoff hole at the Southern Highlands Collegiate.

Morikawa has the lowest total of his career after the first 36 holes of a tournament following a day in which he totaled one eagle and 11 birdies to only two bogeys over two rounds. Morikawa's eagle came when he holed a 133-yard wedge the first time he played the par-four third hole. He also made birdies on five of his six par-five holes including the 10th and 14th holes twice as well as the 17th hole in his first round. He had birdies on six other par-four holes once each on the first and 15th holes in his first round, as well as the second, third, 11th and 18th holes on his second tour. Morikawa started each of his rounds from the fifth hole in a shotgun start.

"It was a very patient and steady day for me," said Morikawa, who needs a 67 or better during Sunday's third and final round for the best 54-hole total of his career. "Staring on hole No. 5 both rounds wasn't easy since it plays as one of the harder holes, but I knew if I started off even through my first few holes I would have a chance to go low coming down the stretch. Thankfully, I waited for the birdies to come and made some throughout the day."

Tilly fired seven birdies during his second round highlighted by birdies on back-to-back par-threes on the sixth and seventh holes to end his day. His other second-round birdies came on the 10th, 11th, 13th, 17th and second holes, while he had a bogey on the par-three 16th and back-to-back bogeys on the par-four fourth and fifth. Tilly, a true freshman playing his second career event, bogeyed his second hole of the day on the par-four ninth but would make only one more in his entire first round on the par-three sixth. He had a first-round hot stretch with three birdies in four holes with birdies on the par-five 14th and 17th sandwiching another on the 16th.

Tanner Hughes (T33rd, 71-71 – 142, E), Sean Yu (T42nd, 73-71 – 144, +2), and Ben Doyle (T71st, 75-76 – 151, +9) are also in the Bears' lineup.

Host Arizona State (266-265 – 531, -37) has a 19-stroke lead after two rounds with Colorado State (276-274 – 550, -18) and UNLV (279-273 – 552, -16) the other two teams ahead of the Bears.

Morikawa will start Sunday's third and final round one stroke behind second-round co-leaders Chun An Yu (67-63- - 130, -12) and Blake Wagoner (67-63 – 130) of Arizona State. Sunday's first tee time is 7:30 am PT with starts from the first and 10th holes. Morikawa and Yu will play in the final group on hole No. 1 starting at 9 am PT.

"There's a lot of low scores out there and many people near the top of the leaderboard," Morikawa said. "I need to stick with what was working today and execute."

"I'm really excited to see us come back after the first round," Morikawa added about the play of the team who is looking to best it's top finish of the season when it was fifth at the Arizona Intercollegiate to open the spring. "It's good to see the team post some low scores. This course really fits us so we're going to go out tomorrow and give it our all. "It's coming down towards the end of the season where we have to play well if we want to make regionals so every shot will count."
 
ASU THUNDERBIRD INVITATIONAL (HOSTED BY ARIZONA STATE)
TEMPE, AZ
ASU KARSTEN GOLF COURSE (PAR 71, 7013 YARDS)
 
TEAM LEADERBOARD (after 1 of 2 days/2 of 3 rounds/36 of 54 holes)
1. Arizona State (266-265 – 531, -37)
2. Colorado State (276-274 – 550, -18)
3. UNLV (279-273 – 552, -16)
4. Cal (279-275 – 554, -14)
5. Arizona State 'B' (280-276 – 556, -12)
6. Nevada (283-275 – 558, -10)
7. Iowa State (277-282 – 559, -9)
8. Washington (283-278 – 561, -7)
9. Utah (281-283 – 564, -4)
10. Arizona (280-287 – 567, -1)
11. San Francisco (284-288 – 572, +4)
12. Cal Poly (284-291 – 575, +7)
13. UC Irvine (288-292 – 580, +12)
14. Hawai'i (295-295 – 590, +22)
15. UC Riverside (294-298 – 592, +24)
 
PLAYER LEADERBOARD – INDIVIDUAL LEADER (after 1 of 2 days/2 of 3 rounds/36 of 54 holes)
T1. Chun An Yu – Arizona State (67-63 – 130, -12)
T1. Blake Wagoner – Arizona State (67-63 – 130, -12)
 
PLAYER LEADERBOARD – CAL INDIVIDUALS (after 1 of 2 days/2 of 3 rounds/36 of 54 holes)
3. Collin Morikawa (65-66 – 131, -11)
T9. Finigan Tilly (70-67 – 137, -5)
T33. Tanner Hughes (71-71 – 142, E)
T42. Sean Yu (73-71 – 144, +2)
T71. Ben Doyle (75-76 – 151, +9)