Golden Nuggets: Cal Men's Golf Wins Second Straight Pac-12 Title, Ties NCAA Win Record

UPDATE: Cal's lead dwindled to two shots after the third round, but the Bears ran away from UCLA in Wednesday's final round to win by nine shots. Max Homa wins the individual title

Cal men's golf looks to build on the best season in school history. The top-ranked Bears have a chance to tie an NCAA record for tournament victories if they win the Pac-12 Championships. Max Homa set a course record in the opening round to help propel the Bears to a nine-stroke lead after day one.

No. 1 Cal (338-357 - 695, -5) has a nine-shot lead over second-place and host No. 3 UCLA (346-358 - 704, +4) after the opening day of the 2013 Pac-12 Championship. The Golden Bears' performance was highlighted by Max Homa (61-70 - 131, -9), who has a three-shot lead on teammate Michael Weaver (65-69 - 134, -6) and broke the course record in the opening round with a nine-under par 61 at the par-70, 7,236-yard North Course at the Los Angeles Country Club.

"I went out there with a good mentality today," Homa said. "I just looked to have fun and enjoy one of the best courses in the country. The individual lead is great and the record is awesome, but I'm really focused on the team lead. We dug deep to lead UCLA on one of its home courses."

Cal had the best team score during each of the two rounds, including a 12-under par 338 over the opening 18 holes that helped them open an eight-stroke advantage. UCLA closed the advantage to three shots at one point on the back nine of the second round before struggling on tough holes down the stretch.

"It was a great day," head coach Steve Desimone said. "We have the lead, and it looks like it is by a few more shots than when we left the golf course. My goal was to finish the day in a good spot, and I think we finished in a really good spot."

Hole on you Bears!

Football

• Aaron Rodgers signed a 5-year $130.7 million extension. The extension includes $54 million guaranteed and a $35 million signing bonus.
• Mark Schlabach released another way-too-early preseason top-25. Cal faces three top-5 teams and six top-25 squads.
• Todd McShay says Keenan Allen was the Chargers' best pick of the draft.
• Aaron Tipoti signed with the Buffalo Bills.
• Josh Hill has agreed to terms with the Arizona Cardinals.

Baseball

• Cal won the weekend series with Washington by scoring off a wild pitch in the top of the 14th.

Softball

• Cal could not avoid the Sun Devil sweep and lost 5-3 on Sunday.

Golf

• Pace Johnson (great name, by the way) won the Alameda Commuters Golf Tournament.
• The women's team earned an invitation to the NCAA West Regional.

Water Polo

• The fifth-ranked Cal women's team finished the regular season with a win over San Jose State in the fifth-place game of the MPSF tournament.

Crew

• The second-ranked men's team defeated the no. 19 Beavers in all four races at Vancouver Lake.

Tennis

• The women's team fell short in the Doubles Invitational Championship match at the Pac-12s.

Track and Field

• Several Bears set personal records at the Payton Jordan Invitational.