March 3, 2003

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. - The University of Houston golf team stood in a tie for 13th place Monday after the first day of the Cleveland Golf Classic at the North Ranch Country Club in Westlake Village, Calif.

The Cougars joined five other teams who had about three holes remaining to play before the tournament was suspended due to darkness. The tournament concludes Tuesday morning.

UH fired a morning round of 294 and was shooting 10-over-par in the afternoon before play was halted. The Cougars were tied with Ohio State and Oregon at 21-pver-par for the day.

Senior Brett Callas led the Cougars with a morning round of 3-over-par 71 and was shooting 3-over-par entering the final two holes of the afternoon session to tie for 22nd place. Freshman Kevin Newman finished his first two rounds and was tied for 38th at 147 after shooting 1-over-par 72 in the final 18 holes of the day.

Other Cougar golfers were Zach Mowbray (t-48th, 148), Denton Walker (t-70th, 151) and John Wine (t-78th, 153).

UCLA led the team competition with a two-round score of 2-under-par 566. California, which like the Cougars had not finished play Monday, was second with a score of 2-over-par 286, while San Diego State was third at 6-over-par 574. Stanford, Fresno State, Oklahoma, Washington, Tennessee, Arizona State and Oregon State rounded out the Top 10 leaders.

Individually, Roy Moon of UCLA was the early lead at 4-under-par 138. Alejandro Canizares (Arizona State), Steve Conway (UCLA), Jim Seki (Stanford) and Nick Watney (Fresno State) were tied for second at 3-under-par 139.