So far this fall, the Bears have been bulldozing over all their challengers as they pave the way to a potentially perfect season.
On Wednesday, the No. 1 Cal men’s golf team recorded its fourth consecutive victory in dominant fashion. At the Meadow Club in Fairfax, Calif., the Bears trumped the second-place University of San Fransisco by 20 strokes at the Alister MacKenzie Invitational.
The win also marked the fourth season in a row that Cal has won its own event. Last year, the Bears shared the MacKenzie title with Oregon after battling back from fourth place to compete with the Ducks.
Last year, an epic 25-foot putt from veteran Max Homa on the final hole secured the Bears a share of the tournament title.
This year, Oregon finished the MacKenzie Invitational tied in 11th place.
Though last year’s Invitational was a nail-biter that came down to the final putt, this year couldn’t have been more different.
The Bears ended the first two rounds in the first day with a nine-stroke lead over the University of San Francisco. The Dons were the only team within 25 strokes of the lead after the first day.
The Bears extended that lead by 11 more strokes on Tuesday, pulling away from San Francisco and securing the victory.
Junior Brandon Hagy led the winning effort, earning his first tournament win at 15 under par. He ended the first day at 16-under and with a five-stroke lead over the rest of the field. Hagy shot under par on half of the day’s 36 holes and was able to secure the victory in the third round with 13 pars on 18 of the holes.
The MacKenzie Invitational win is one more link in a chain of Cal wins. The Bears opened the official fall season with a win at the Gopher Invitational, followed by a shared title at the PING/Golfweek Preview. Cal continued onward, racking up another first place at the Pac-12 Preview.
The Bears remain perfect heading into the elite Isleworth Collegiate Invitational, their final event of the fall season. The three-day tournament begins on Oct. 21 and features fierce competition, including defending champion No. 2 Texas and five of the nation’s other top-15 teams.
Though the Bears have been rolling over most other competition, Isleworth is the one most likely to spoil Cal’s perfect season. The Windemere, Fla., event will serve as a preview of the nation’s best as Cal gears up for the championship season in the spring.
Contact Taylor Brink at [email protected]
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