Virginia and Arizona lead after first day of NCAA golf championships at La Costa

If the idea was to create a stern test of college golf, the refurbished North Course at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa did just that. Only 11 golfers were under par in the opening round of the NCAA men’s championships Friday, and the average score was 4-over 76.

Singapore’s Hiroshi Tai of Georgia Tech is the individual leader after birdieing his final hole for a 5-under 67, made even more impressive by his afternoon tee time when the wind is fiercest. Sweden’s Adam Wallin of Ohio State is one stroke back.

Virginia and Arizona are tied atop the team leaderboard at 2-over from their four scoring golfers (out of five). North Carolina is a stroke back in third place, followed by Georgia Tech, Illinois and No. 1-ranked Auburn.

East Tennessee State, which posted a video of Delta Airlines baggage handlers in San Diego throwing its club bags that went viral, is tied for ninth at 8-over.

In the women’s event that finished Wednesday, the Pac-12 claimed all four semifinalists (UCLA, USC, Oregon and eventual champion Stanford). The script so far has flipped with the men; Arizona is only West Coast school among the top 10.

Local knowledge wasn’t much help Friday. USD’s Andi Xu, who qualified as an individual after the Toreros team was eliminated in the regionals, shot 80 and is tied for 134^th. North Carolina senior Dylan Menante (Sage Creek High) shot 78, and Baylor sophomore Jonas Appel (La Costa Canyon) shot 86 after taking a 10 on the par-4 seventh hole.

Stroke play continues through the weekend, after which 15 of the 30 teams will be cut. Monday’s fourth and final round of stroke play crowns the individual champion, followed by a single-elimination match play bracket with the top eight teams Tuesday and Wednesday.