Men’s Golf: UCI’s Pete Fernandez earns Big West monthly honor

UC Irvine senior Pete Fernandez has been named the Big West Conference Golfer of the Month for March after helping the Anteaters to a pair of tournament titles.

Fernandez was medalist at the 19th Del Walker Intercollegiate March 2-3 with a 54-hole total of 8-under par 202. He fired an opening round of 7-under 63 at Virginia Country Club and followed with rounds of 69 and 70 to earn the second individual title of his UCI career and lead the Anteaters to the team championship.

The first round of 63 was his lowest as an Anteater player. Fernandez shot a 7-under 64 on the par-71 Meadow Club course in Fairfax during the Alister MacKenzie Invitational in October 2011.

Fernandez also helped lead UCI to the title of the eight-team Cal Poly Match Play Championship March 23-24 at Cypress Ridge in Arroyo Grande.

He was 2-1 in his matches, including a 1-up victory in the team’s 4-1 win over Cal Poly in the championship match.

Fernandez leads the ‘Eaters with a 71.43 average this season and has posted three top-10 finishes and two top-20s. He was an All-Big West First Team selection last season and earned his first conference monthly award in April 2014.

Last month, Fernandez was named UCI’s male Big West Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

— From staff reports