PALM DESERT, Calif. – Led by a career-low-tying 68 from Kyle Cox to tie for the lead, the UT Arlington men's golf team mounted a brilliant back-9 push on Wednesday to turn in a 1-under 287 in the 1st round of the Wyoming Desert Intercollegiate from the Classic Club Course as UTA resides just two shots out of 1st place with two rounds remaining.
 
The Mavericks – who were in last place early during its back-9 play – vaulted up the leaderboard as they sit in a tied for 4th place thanks to their eighth under-par round in just 16 opportunities this season and first of the spring. UTA's top-4 scorers combined to shoot +7 on the front 9 before turning in a -1 performance on the back 9.
 
Cox was the catalyst for that surge as he played the final six holes in 4-under – a stretch which included a bogey – as the senior matched his career low set in both 2018-19 and 2019-20. His round featured four birdies and an eagle as he sits in a tie for 1st place along with Wyoming's Bryce Waters.
 
In a 20-team field which features six teams ranked in the top-100 nationally, Charlotte and Long Beach State both posted 3-under 285 totals to tie for the lead after the 1st round. Seattle is in alone in 3rd place following a 286, and UTA is tied with Nevada – one shot clear of both Colorado and Wyoming (288).
 
UTA SCORES
Team
T-4) UT Arlington: 287 (-1)
 
Lineup
T-1) Kyle Cox: 68 (-4)
T-13) Hiroki Miya: 71 (-1)
T-30) Paul Gonzalez: 73 (+1)
T-60) Caleb Hicks: 75 (+3)
T-106) Zak Jones: 80 (+8)
 
T-60) Ind. Daniel Steinarsson: 75 (+3)
 
INSIDE THE SCORES
 
Cox

• A pedestrian front 9, and really first 12 holes, included just a birdie and a bogey as Cox sat at even par heading into his final six holes of the day. But that's when he turned it on, finishing birdie-eagle-bogey-birdie-par-birdie.

Miya

• The UNT transfer turned in a season-best 71 thanks as well to a late push over the final six holes. The New Zealand native was +1 after 12 holes, but he capped his round going birdie-birdie-par-bogey-par-birdie to move into red figures.

Gonzalez

• Gonzalez opened his day with bogeys on three of his first six holes before rolling in seven-straight pars. Back-to-back birdies on the par-5 14th and par-4 15th moved him closer to level par, but Gonzalez settled for a +1 round of 73.

Hicks

• An up-and-down round for Hicks included 10 pars, three birdies but also four bogeys and a double. Like many of his teammates, Hicks took advantage of the final six holes as well, playing them in 2-under.

Jones

• Playing in just his fourth round of the season, Jones carded his only birdie of the day on the closing par-5, 564-yard 18th.

Steinarsson

• Competing as an individual and starting on the back, Steinarsson posted nothing higher than a bogey on his card, but couldn't get much positive momentum going as he rolled in three birdies but also had six squares on his card.

THIS AND THAT
With his two birdies on the day, Gonzalez moved within six of tying program all-time leader Bobby Massa with 387 … UTA played the par-5 holes in -7 (4.63) – tied for the 4th-best in the field … Cox, Miya and Hicks all played the par-5s in -3 (4.25) to tie for the best in the field.
 
FINAL ROUND
The 2nd round will take place on Thursday with tee times beginning at 7 a.m. local (9 a.m. Central).
 
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ABOUT TEXAS RANGERS GOLF CLUB
Opened in February of 2019, the state-of-the-art Texas Rangers Golf Club is the new home of UTA's men's and women's golf programs. The world's only Major League Baseball-branded golf course, TRGC is the result of a $24 million renovation and updated routing of the former Chester W. Ditto Golf Course.
 
The Home of UTA Golf was designed by UTA alumni John Colligan and Trey Kemp of Arlington-based Colligan Golf Design. It features an expansive 23-acre practice area, and a new 33,871-square-foot clubhouse features a full-service restaurant and bar, covered patio overlooking the golf course, pro shop, locker rooms and numerous rental and event spaces. For more information about TRGC, click here.