LAS VEGAS - No. 10 Stanford received red scores from three student-athletes Monday in the opening round of the Southern Highlands Collegiate. Maverick McNealy (-5), Isaiah Salinda (-2) and Brandon Wu (-1) each rank among the top-13 individuals after stellar rounds on the par-72 track.
The Cardinal, which finished second in last trip to the event in 2014, sits at 7-under after teaming for a 281. Stanford is second overall and USC (-10) leads the 15-team field. Cal's Collin Morikawa (-6) set the pace in the medalist race.
"You're doing alright when you can get out to a good start and among the top few teams at Southern Highlands," said Conrad Ray, Stanford's Knowles Family Director of Men's Golf. "It's a strong field and really challenging golf course. Only one player on the team has seen the golf course before, and we had a tough, windy practice round.
"I feel like our guys are still learning their way around. We dropped a few shots at the end, then picked up a few. We're looking forward to a good day tomorrow."
McNealy, one shot off the lead, didn't strike the ball particularly well, but his putting game was on point. Six birdies and one bogey led to a 5-under 67. He was 3-under on the back nine, including near chip-ins on 16 and 18.
Salinda burned through the front nine at 4-under, recording a stretch of three birdies on holes five, six and seven, and another on the ninth for good measure. Sitting at 5-under through 13 holes, he gave a few shots back to card a 2-under 70.
Salinda, McNealy and Huang each birdied the 359-yard fifth hole, a drivable par-4.
Salinda is tied for seventh and Wu is 12th after a steady 1-under 71.
Franklin Huang closed with a birdie on 18 to finish at 1-over, and Viraat Badhwar managed a pair of birdies on the front nine to finish at 3-over.
The three-day, 54-hole tournament resumes Tuesday.
