Long Beach State holds early team lead on Kaua‘i
(KAUA‘I, Hawai‘i) – Arizona Wildcat sophomore Yannick Malik, who hails from Munich, Germany, felt right at home on the island of Kaua‘i. His career best 8-under 64 ties the Ocean Course at Hōkūala’s tournament scoring record set in 2022 by then-U.S. Amateur champion and current Korn Ferry Tour member, Sam Bennett (excluding 2023 when Ian Gilligan and Sam Bennett shot 61 while lift, clean and place was in effect).
Competing on Hawai‘i’s longest continuous stretch of oceanfront holes, Malik mastered the trade winds and course conditions en route to an eight-birdie, bogey-free round.
“Yannick’s performance in these conditions was rock solid,” said Arizona Men’s Golf Coach, Jim Anderson. “As well as he played today, our team remains hungry for more. We hope to capitalize on this momentum.”
The 2023 Dutch Amateur Champion will look to increase his one-shot lead on Friday over San Diego State’s Justin Hastings (-7), Washington State’s Pono Yanagi (-7) and Long Beach State’s Clay Seeber (-7). Defending co-individual champion, Sampson Zheng (-1) of California, is seven shots back.
“Aside from the natural beauty of Hōkūala, another beauty is the layout’s incredible shot variety,” said host University of Hawai‘i Men’s Golf Coach and two-time NCAA Championship medalist, Scott Simpson. “Lurking disaster is a fun way to describe holes 14–18 along the ocean, especially when the winds pick up. Players who have a good grasp of strategy, knowing when to push it and when to lay back will be rewarded.”
Emphasizing Simpson’s point, holes 13–18 all played over par in the opening round. Players who began on the back nine were better positioned to capitalize on those hole’s scoring opportunities early in the day before the trade winds kicked up.
In the team competition, Long Beach State holds a three-shot lead of 273 (-15). All five Beach players finished in the top 23 of the 121-player field. They were led by Seeber and Jack Cantlay (-5), the 2003 Big West Freshman of the Year and younger brother of 8-time PGA TOUR winner, Patrick Cantlay.
Grand Canyon, Washington State and Arizona are all tied for third at -10. The Wildcats, currently ranked No. 9 in America, are three-time Burns’ champions (1992, 2003, 2004) who finished runner-up in 2022.
Utah (-9), fellow three-time Burns’ champs New Mexico (-6) and San Diego State (-6) remain close behind.
The host Rainbow Warriors were guided by Blaze Akana and Kolbe Irei, who each finished at 2-under (T20). Akana, a senior from Honolulu, recently qualified for the PGA TOUR’s SONY Open in Hawai‘i for the second consecutive year.
“Blaze is a gifted leader on our team,” continued Simpson. “His patience and perseverance make him a special person, both on and off the course.”
The second round begins on Friday at 9:30 a.m. HST. Attendance is free for walking spectators.
A full list of scores can be found at SMART Golf.
Team Leaderboard
| Place | School | To Par | Rd. 1 |
| 1 | Long Beach State | -15 | 273 |
| T2 | Grand Canyon | -10 | 278 |
| T2 | Washington State | -10 | 278 |
| T2 | Arizona | -10 | 278 |
| 5 | Utah | -9 | 279 |
| T6 | New Mexico | -6 | 282 |
| T6 | San Diego State | -6 | 282 |
| T8 | California | -5 | 283 |
| T8 | Texas A&M | -5 | 283 |
| 10 | UNLV | -2 | 286 |
| T11 | Arkansas Little Rock | -1 | 287 |
| T11 | BYU | -1 | 287 |
| 13 | Georgia Southern | E | 288 |
| T14 | Fresno State | +2 | 290 |
| T14 | Hawai‘i | +2 | 290 |
| 16 | San Francisco | +3 | 291 |
| 17 | UTEP | +4 | 292 |
| 18 | Saint Mary’s College | +6 | 294 |
| 19 | UC Santa Barbara | +7 | 295 |
| 20 | USC | +10 | 298 |
Top Individuals
| Place | Player | School | To Par | Rd. 1 |
| 1 | Yannick Malik | Arizona | -8 | 64 |
| 2 | Justin Hastings | San Diego State | -7 | 65 |
| T3 | Pono Yanagi | Washington State | -6 | 66 |
| T3 | Clay Seeber | Long Beach State | -6 | 66 |
| T5 | Braxton Watts | Utah | -5 | 67 |
| T5 | Jack Cantlay | Long Beach State | -5 | 67 |
| T5 | Archie Smith | Arkansas Little Rock | -6 | 67 |
TOURNAMENT INFO
Dates: Feb. 15–17, 2024
Venue: Ocean Course at Hōkūala
Location: Lihu‘e, Kaua‘i
Yardage (Par): 7,156 (72)
Format: 54 holes; 18 holes each day; 5-count-4
Host: Hawai‘i
Defending Team Champion: BYU (810)
Defending Co-Individual Champions: Sam Bennett, Texas A&M and Sampson Zheng, California (198)
About Ocean Course at Hōkūala
Home to the longest continuous stretch of oceanfront holes in the state of Hawai‘i, the Ocean Course was named one of the “World’s Most Beautiful Golf Courses” by MSN Travel. The 18-hole golf course is part of Timbers Kaua‘i Ocean Club & Residences, a private residential club which opened in 2018 on the island’s southeast coast. Timbers Kaua‘i sits on a 450-acre natural amphitheater and offers unobstructed views of the Pacific Ocean, Kalapaki Bay and Hā‘upu Mountain Range. Website | Facebook | Instagram
About Timbers Kaua’i
Located in the 450-acre Hōkūala resort community along the Pacific, Kaua‘i’s premier luxury resort and residence club combines tranquil Hawaiian living with Timbers Resorts’ signature luxury amenities and a personalized full-service concierge team. Timbers Kaua‘i boasts exceptional offerings for those visiting or looking to make paradise their home through luxury vacation rentals, one-of-a-kind deeded fractional and whole ownership real estate opportunities.
Amenities include the 18-hole award-winning Ocean Course at Hōkūala – Kaua‘i’s only Jack Nicklaus Signature Course; The Farm at Hōkūala, a 16.5-acre organic farm and orchard; oceanfront dining at Hualani’s with “farm-to-fork” fine dining; a two-tiered infinity-edge pool overlooking the ocean, as well as a family pool and hot tub; spa services and wellness programs; 13 miles of accessible, lush trails; and easy access to Kalapaki Beach and Lihue Airport (LIH).
About Troon
Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Troon is the world’s largest golf and golf-related hospitality management company, providing services at 850-plus locations, including operational responsibility for 575-plus 18-hole equivalent golf courses around the globe. In addition to golf, Troon specializes in homeowner association management, private residence clubs, estate management and associated hospitality venues. Troon’s award-winning food and beverage division operates and manages 600-plus food and beverage operations located at golf resorts, private clubs, daily fee golf courses and recreational facilities. With properties located in 45-plus states and 35-plus countries, Troon’s family of brands includes Troon Golf, Troon Privé, Troon International, Indigo Sports, CADDIEMASTER, ClubUp, Cliff Drysdale Tennis, Peter Burwash International, True Club Solutions, RealFood Hospitality, Strategy and Design, Casa Verde Golf, ICON Management and Eventive Sports. For additional news and information, visit www.Troon.com, TroonMagazine.com or connect with Troon on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Troon Chronicles, Press Room, and via The Turn Podcast.
