FRESNO, Calif. — The Sacramento State men's golf team is tied for fourth place following the first two rounds of the Nick Watney Invitational at San Joaquin CC on Monday. Zach Mate, who's competing as an individual, had the lowest score for among Hornets  and is tied for second while three others are tied for 17^th at 2-over par.
 
Sacramento State was 11-over through the first round before playing the second round at 1-under. The team's total places them nine strokes back of UC San Diego for the top spot in the standings and six strokes off second place.
 
Mat shot a 1-over par 72 in the first round with four birdies and five bogeys. His first birdie of the day came on his opening hole (No. 16) while his final one came on his last hole (No. 15). Mate carded four birdies over his first seven holes in the second round. He stayed at 4-under until a double bogey on the par-4 ninth. His last birdie of the day was on the par-5 12^th to get him back to 3-under.
 
Gabriel Smith, Max Thomas and Jai Bahl all had identical scores of 74-70-144. Smith played the first round with three birdies, two bogeys and a pair of doubles. Thomas had a birdie and four bogeys while Bahl had two birdies and five bogeys.
 
In the second round, Smith was never worse than even par. He started the round on the 13^th and birdied Nos. 17 and five to get to 2-under. Bogeys on Nos. 6 and 10 took him back to even before he ended the day with a birdie on the par-5 12^th.
 
Thomas sandwiched birdies on Nos. 16, 18 and 3 around bogeys on Nos. 14 and 11 to get to 1-under. He has now been at or below par in eight of the his last 10 rounds dating back to the fall.
 
Bahl began the second round with a bogey on No. 15 before birdies on Nos. 16, 1 and 6 took him to 2-under. A bogey on the No. 7 was followed by seven consecutive pars to wrap up his day. His second-round score is tied for his career best at Sacramento State.
 
Mason Benbrook led the team in the first round with a 2-over par round of 73 which was comprised of two birdies and four bogeys. Zach Matzke had the final counting score for the team in the second round with two birdies and four bogeys.
 
Davis McDowell of UC San Diego will take a three-stroke lead into the final round. McDowell shot 69-68-137 and is 5-under par.
 
The Hornets will be paired with Fresno State and CSUN in the final round beginning with a shotgun start at 8:15 a.m.
 
 
NICK WATNEY INVITATIONAL
Fresno, Calif. | San Joaqiun CC
Par 71 | 7,051 Yards
 
Team Standings
1. UC San Diego 288-281-569
2.  Nevada 287-285-572
3. Pacific 291-284-575
T4. Sacramento State 295-283-578
T4. Fresno State 291-287-578
T6. CSUN 288-291-579
T6. California Baptist 292-287-579
8. UC Riverside 289-291-580
9. SeattleU 297-286-583
10. Cal State Fullerton 298-293-591
11. Idaho 297-296-593
12. Utah Valley 303-292-595
T13. Utah State 308-297-605
T13. Southern Utah 307-298-605
 
Individual Top Five
1. Davis McDowell, UCSD, 69-68-137
T2. Zach Mate, SAC, 72-68-140
T2. Riki Matsumoto, NEV, 72-68-140
T2. Jacob Vazquez, UCE, 73-67-140
T5. Kevin Li, SU, 71-70-141
T5. Bryson Barnes, CSUN, 72-69-141
 
Sacramento State Scores
T2. Zach Mate 72-68-140*
T17. Gabriel Smith 74-70-144
T17. Max Thomas 74-70-144
T17. Jai Bahl 74-70-144
T54. Mason Benbrook 73-78-151
T73. Zach Matzke 87-73-160
* Competing as an individual