The junior at Palo Alto High School plays his golf out of Baylands Golf Course in Palo Alto and started his opening round on the back nine, recording a par and a bogey to start his round, but a chip-in birdie on Hole No. 12 got him going, and he never looked back.

"I knew my wedges were on point, so if I could just get myself close to the green, I knew I could give myself some opportunities for birdies."

That is exactly what he did, recording birdies on Holes No. 15 and 17 on the back nine and five more birdies on the front nine to close in a 31.

"I enjoy coming out to Monterey," Wang said. "The courses here are really nice and fun to play."

Hartej Grewal of Pleasanton, Calif., and Matthew Lin of Orinda, Calif., both shot rounds of 4-under 68 and are three shots back of Wang and tied for second place. Grewal recorded five birdies and one bogey, and Lin recorded six birdies and two bogeys. 

Reid Buzby of San Francisco, Calif., is in solo fourth place at 2-under, and Weston Payne of Berkeley, Calif., is in solo fifth place at 1-under.

In the Senior Championship Division, Terry Foreman of Brentwood, Calif., leads by one shot at 1-over. It was a roller coaster opening round for Foreman, who recorded four birdies, three bogeys, and one double bogey. This Division is up for grabs after one round, with eight golfers within five shots of Foreman.

Foreman finished in solo second place at the 2023 NCGA Senior Amateur.

Charles Richesin of Lodi, Calif., is in solo second place at 2-over, and Steve Schroeder of Monterey, Calif., Russell Humphrey of Lodi, Calif., and Chris Miller of Brentwood, Calif., are all T3 at 3-over.

Sherri Suto of San Francisco, Calif, leads the Net Division at 2-under.