LITCHFIELD PARK, Ariz. – Defending PacWest Conference champion Keita Okada of Hawai'i Pacific University is part of a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard and has HPU within two shots of the lead at the 2022 PacWest Conference Championships at the Wigwam Resort's Gold Course.
 
Okada, a sophomore from Tokyo, Japan/Bradenton, Fla. IMG Academy, fired a 3-under-par 69 on the par 72, 6,964-yard Wigwam track for the lead with Chaminade's Ryan Shields Vega and Hawai'i Hilo's Keith Ng. HPU senior Ryan Torres of San Jose, Calif./Evergreen Valley is in a tie for fourth, two strokes back at 1-under 71 along with Academy of Art's Matthew Watkins.
 
As a team, the Sharks posted a 7-over 295 for second, two strokes behind Hawai'i Hilo at 5-over 293. Dominican is third at 299. Academy of Art is next at 301, Holy Names at 303 and Chaminade at 309.
 
Okada put up three birdies with a bogey on the front nine to make the turn at 2-under, but posted his second bogey of the day on the par 4 12th hole. But the defending PacWest champ followed with a birdie 3's on the par 4 13th and 17th holes to come in at 3-under.
 
Torres jumped out in the early lead of the tournament, firing four birdies with a bogey on the front nine to make the turn at 3-under, but suffered three consecutive bogeys at 11-12-13 to fall to even. The senior rallied with a birdie on the par 4 15th to come in with a 1-under.
 
Senior Ray Kim of Aiea, Hawai'i/Moanalua is tied for 16th after carding a 5-over 77, with junior Keli'i Kamelamela-Dudoit of Ho'olehua, Hawai'i/Kamehameha-Kapalama adding a 6-over 78. Freshman Grant Garrison of Lake Tapps, Wash./Sumner rounded out the Sharks with an 85.
 
The second round of the championships is Tuesday, with the Sharks playing in the lead grouping that tees off starting at 6:50 a.m. HST (9:50 a.m. MST) at Wigwam's Gold Course.