Four top-five teams and five top-10 teams competing at Papago Golf Club (par 71/7,317 yards) in the Thunderbird Collegiate led to some low scores and a solid battle coming Saturday for both the team and individual titles, with Sun Devil freshman Josele Ballester leading the 88-player field.
Ballester went 10-under 132 (67-65) to take a one-shot lead over Bastien Amat of New Mexico (67-66) and teammate James Leow (67-66), who is playing as an individual. Aman Gupta of Oklahoma State is at 8-under 134 (69-65).
After shooting 12-over in his first tournament in September, Ballester is now 19-under in the four spring tournaments, with seven of his 11 rounds in 60s.