Javier Neira Garcia In the Hunt After First Day of WAC Championship

BOULDER CITY, Nev. – Junior Javier Neira Garcia sits four shots off the individual lead after an opening round four-under 68 to pace The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros men's golf team on the first day of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Championship on Friday at Boulder Creek Golf Club.

Garcia, who is in sixth place, recorded three birdies, three pars, and three bogeys through the first nine holes to post an even par 36 on the front nine before bouncing back in the back nine with five pars, one birdie, one bogey and two eagles, including holing out with an eagle on the 18^th hole.

Junior Leonardo Novella is tied for 44^th after an opening round three-over par 75 while sophomore Juan Luis de Bethencourt Duque is tied for 49^th after an opening round 76. Freshman Henry Wang is tied for 61^st with a first round 79 and redshirt sophomore Taj Sutherland is in 63^rd with a first round 80.

As a team, the Vaqueros are tied for 12^th place with California Baptist after posting a first round 298. UTRGV is just four shots back of Stephen F. Austin for 11^th and five shots back of UT Arlington for 10^th.

Sam Houston holds the first day lead with a first round 274 while New Mexico State's Garrison Smith holds the individual lead with an eight-under 64.

The Vaqueros will be back in action on Saturday for the second round of the WAC Championship with the first group teeing off at 9 a.m.

Results

Place	Golfer	Rd 1	Rd 2	Rd 3	Total
6.	Javier Neira Garcia	68	-	-	68
T-44.	Leonardo Novella	75	-	-	75
T-49.	Juan Luis de Bethencourt Duque	76	-	-	76
T-61.	Henry Wang	79	-	-	79
63.	Taj Sutherland	80	-	-	80

Place	Team	Rd 1	Rd 2	Rd 3	Total
1.	Sam Houston	274	-	-	274
2.	New Mexico State	277	-	-	277
3.	Grand Canyon	280	-	-	280
4.	Seattle U	283	-	-	283
T-5.	Tarleton	287	-	-	287
T-5.	Utah Tech	287	-	-	287
7.	Abilene Christian	289	-	-	289
T-8.	Utah Valley	290	-	-	290
T-8.	Southern Utah	290	-	-	290
10.	UT Arlington	293	-	-	293
11.	Stephen F. Austin	294	-	-	294
T-12.	UTRGV	298	-	-	298
T-12.	California Baptist	298	-	-	298

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Players Mentioned

Juan Luis de Bethencourt Duque: 5' 9"; Sophomore

Leonardo Novella: 5' 10"; Junior

Taj Sutherland: 5' 10"; Redshirt Sophomore

Henry Wang: 5' 11"; Freshman

Javier Neira Garcia: 6' 2"; Junior

Players Mentioned

Juan Luis de Bethencourt Duque
: 5' 9"; Sophomore

Leonardo Novella
: 5' 10"; Junior

Taj Sutherland
: 5' 10"; Redshirt Sophomore

Henry Wang
: 5' 11"; Freshman

Javier Neira Garcia
: 6' 2"; Junior