EL MACERO, Calif. – The University of San Francisco men's golf team is in an unfamiliar place after 18 holes of the El Macero Classic. The Dons are in fourth place looking up at the leaderboard after shooting a 3-under 285 on Saturday.
 
Conference rival Saint Mary's has the lead after shooting a 10-under 278 at the par-72 course. USF is three back UC Davis in second and one back Pacific in third. The birdie putt just wasn't there for the Dons on the opening round.  USF finished the afternoon with a 63 pars, the most in the tournament after 18 holes.
 
The Dons had all five players finish in the top-15 with Toby Briggs leading the way. Briggs is currently tied for eighth after shooting a 2-under 70.  He opened the contest going 2-under on the front-9 with birdies on five and seven.  On the back, birdies on 10 and 13 sandwiched a double-bogey on 11.
 
In second for the Dons and tied for 11^th overall is WCC Golfer of the Month, Soren Lind.  Lind shot a 1-under 71 after opening the round with nine-straight pars. A bogey on 10 had him one over, but finished the day with birdies on 13 and 17 to get back under par.
 
Matthew Anderson, Tim Widing, and Christoffer Palsson are all tied for 13^th after shooting even par 72s. Anderson had two birdies on the front and a birdie on the back. Widing tied Briggs with four birdies for the team lead. Palsson overcame being 1-over at the turn to finish even thanks to birdies on 10 and 15.
 
Alex Chin had the Dons' best round.  The fourth year is tied at third and is competing as an individual. Chin opened the round on the 10^th and was even after his first nine holes.  On his second nine birdies on two, five, and six saw him go 3-under.
 
Round two of the El Macero Classic will start tomorrow morning. Fans fan follow results at Golfstat.com or by clicking here.