LITCHFIELD PARK, Ariz. – Hawai'i Pacific University senior Zach Kwan is third and paced HPU to second after the opening round of the 2019 PacWest Conference Championships at the Wigwam Resort's Gold Course on Monday.
 
The Sharks posted a 10-over-par 298 team score, two strokes behind Dominican at 8-over 296 in first. HPU is a stroke in front a three-way tie for third between Hawai'i Hilo, Academy of Art and Notre Dame de Namur at 11-over 299. Holy Names is sixth at 300, with Chaminade seventh at 308 and Biola ninth at 313.
 
Kwan, a senior from Sacramento, Calif./Granite Bay,  fired a 1-under 71 on the par 72, 7008-yard Gold Course to sit one stroke off the lead of Notre Dame de Namur's Caleb Keohokapu and Dominican's Nick Rivera who shot a 2-under 70 in the first round. Kwan posted an eagle on the par-4 17th, with birdies on the 18th and first holes during the round. However he recorded bogeys on the sixth, 13th and 16th holes.
 
Senior Chad Vander Dussen of Rancho Murieta, Calif./Pleasant Grove is locked in a tie for seventh, three strokes back after carding a 1-over 73. He too had an eagle during the round at the par-5 fourth hole. A total of 14 golfers are within four shots of the lead after the first round. Senior Masato Yoshitsugu of Aichi, Japan/Bluffton S.C. Heritage Academy is tied for 18th after shooting a 4-over 76.
 
Senior Chris McKnight of Wilton, Calif./Cosumnes Oaks posted a 6-over 78 to add into the Sharks team scoring. Sophomore teammate Sirasit Prateepmongkol of Bangkok, Thailand/Ruamrudee International, struggled for a 7-over 79 as the Sharks drop score of the day.
 
The men got away under calm conditions that warmed from the low 70s into the high 80s in the desert by midday and the scores reflected it.
 
The Sharks play in the final men's pairing of the day in Tuesday's second round, playing with Dominican and Hawai'i Hilo. Times off the first tee start at 5:40 a.m. HST (8:40 a.m. MST) at the Wigwam Resort.