KINGSBURG, Calif. — Casey Leebrick continued his strong start to the 2022-23 season, leading the Sacramento State men's golf team in the first and second rounds of the Nick Watney Invitational on Monday at Kings River Golf and Country Club. Leebrick shot 67-70-137 and is tied for fifth place. The Hornets are in 15th place with rounds of 290-293-583.

Leebrick was never over par during the first round as he finished with five birdies and just one bogey. He opened with two pars and then birdied the par-4 11th and par-3 12th. His lone bogey was on the par-4 17th to take him to 1-under. He then birdied the par-5 first and third holes and closed the round with a birdie on the par-4 eighth.

Leebrick was 1-under in the second round with four birdies and three bogeys. He started the round with a bogey on No. 9 and was eventually 2-over through eight holes. Birdies on Nos. 1 and 2 took him back to even. After five consecutive pars, he again ended with a birdie on No. 8.

Leebrick is in a three-way tie for fifth place at 5-under par. The trio is seven strokes back of Long Beach State's Ian Gilligan who holds the lead after shooting 66-64-130.

Coleman Dupre, who is competing as an individual, ranks second among the Hornets. Dupre is tied for 56th after shooting 75-74-147. He had three birdies and seven bogeys in the first round and followed with four birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey.

Joe Fowler is tied for 63rd which places him second among Sacramento State golfers in the lineup. Fowler had a steady first round with two birdies and two bogeys to end even. His second round was comprised of one birdie, five bogeys and a double bogey.

Zach Mate was 4-over in the first round with two birdies, two bogeys and two double bogeys. In the second round, he had three birdies, two bogeys and two doubles to end at 3-over. Overall, Mate is tied for 74th.

Riley Bell shot 77-73-150 and is tied for 79th. Bell had a birdie, five bogeys and a double bogey in the first round. He finished the second round with two birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey.

The lineup was completed by freshman Gabriel Smith who shot 79-76-155. Smith had three birdies and 11 bogeys in the opening round and a birdie, two bogeys and two double bogeys in the afternoon.

Long Beach State holds the team lead at 21-under. The 49ers are followed by Cal State Fullerton (15-under), Fresno State (12-under), Grand Canyon (10-under) and UC Irvine (even) in the top five.

Sacramento State will be paired with UC San Diego, UT Arlington and UC Riverside in the third round which will start at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning.

NICK WATNEY INVITATIONAL
Kings River Golf & CC | Kingsburg, Calif.
Par. 71 | 6,623 Yards

Team Standings
1. Long Beach State 286-271-547
2. Cal State Fullerton 281-272-553
3. Fresno State 277-279-556
4. Grand Canyon 280-278-558
5. UC Irvine 286-282-568
6. Seattle U 285-286-571
7. CSUN 290-283-573
8. Saint Mary's 284-290-574
9. UC Santa Barbara 292-283-575
T10. Gonzaga 292-284-576
T10. Pacific 294-292-576
12. California Baptist  292-288-580
T13. UC San Diego 294-287-581
T13. UT Arlington 292-289-581
15. SACRAMENTO STATE 290-293-583
16. UC Riverside 300-296-596

Individual Top Five
1. Ian Gilligan, LBSU, 66-64-130
2. Nicky Kling, GCU, 65-68-133
3. Harry Doig, CSF, 67-67-134
4. Matthew Sutherland, FS, 64-71-135
T5. Casey Leebrick, SAC, 67-70-137
T5. Joseph Lloyd 69-68-137
T5. Isaac Rodea, LBSU, 68-69-137

Sacramento State Scores
T5. Casey Leebrick 67-70-137
T56. Coleman Dupre 75-72-147*
T63. Joe Fowler 71-77-148
T74. Zach Mate 75-75-149
T79. Riley Bell 77-73-150
T88. Gabriel Smith 79-76-155
* Competing as an individual