LA QUINTA, Calif. — Gabriel Smith sits in fourth place following the first round of the Big West Championship on Sunday at La Quinta Country Club. The Sacramento State men's golf team in sixth place after the first round of three rounds.
 
Smith was 3-under during the round and the only Hornet golfer to break par during the day. He began play with four consecutive pars and then picked up birdies on the par-5 sixth and seventh holes to get to 2-under. He ended the front nine with three pars before beginning the second half of the course with a bogey on the par-4 10^th. Smith then ran off three straight birdies on Nos. 11-13 to more to 4-under. Following a par, he bogeyed the par-3 15^th and then closed the round with three pars.
 
His total places him one stroke out of second place but six behind Long Beach State's Krishnav Chopraa who had a 9-under par round of 63 to open a big lead.
 
Max Thomas and Jake Aberle are tied for 28^th place after each recorded 74s on Sunday. The pair had matching scores of 37 on the front and back nine during the day. Thomas had birdies on Nos. 3 and 6 on the front nine to go along with a bogey on No. 4 and a double bogey on the par-4 ninth. Aberle carded eight pars and a bogey on the par-4 second. Each played the back nine with a birdie and two pars.
 
Luke Dugger shot 77 and is tied for 50^th place. Dugger was 4-over through the first five holes with a pair of bogeys and a double bogey. His first birdie came on the par-5 sixth but was immediately trailed by a double bogey on the par-3 seventh. He was even on the back nine with three birdies (Nos. 11, 12 and 18) and three bogeys (Nos. 10, 16 and 17).
 
Zach Mate completed the lineup with a 78 and is tied for 54^th. Mate provided the only eagle of the day for the day as he posted a three on the 527-yard, par-5 sixth hole. However, he had four bogeys and a pair of double bogeys without a birdie.
 
Sacramento State will start the second round on Monday at 10:50 a.m. The team will be paired with UC Davis and UC Irvine.
 
Big West Championship
La Quinta, Calif. | La Quinta CC
Par 72 | 7056 Yards
 
Team Standings
1. Cal State Fullerton 279
2. Long Beach State 281
3. Idaho 285
T4. UC Davis 290
T4. UC Irvine 290
6. Sacramento State 294
T7. UC San Diego 295
T7. CSUN 295
T7. Hawaii 295
10. Cal Poly 296
11. UC Santa Barbara 297
12. UC Riverside 304
 
Individual Top Five
1. Krishnav Chopraa, LBSU, 63
T2. Tegan Andrews, CSF, 68
T2. Matthew Schager, CSF, 68
4. Gabriel Smith, SAC, 69
T5. Zack Tarter, UCD, 70
T5. Josh McCartain, UI, 70
T5. Matthew McGann, UI, 70
 
Sacramento State Scores
4. Gabriel Smith 69
T28. Max Thomas 74
T28. Jake Aberle 74
T50. Luke Dugger 77
T54. Zach Mate 78