HOLLISTER, Calif. — Opening round scores were low and the margins thin Friday at San Juan Oaks Golf Club, as the Winter Invitational got underway with strong play across all divisions. The Championship Division set the tone, while senior, mid-amateur, super senior and women’s fields each produced early leaders after Round 1.

Championship Division: Ault Sets Early Pace

Joshua Ault (Larkspur, CA) carded a bogey-free 3-under 69 to take the early lead in the Championship Division, edging a tightly packed leaderboard that saw four players finish at even par or better.

Ault’s steady round was highlighted by consistent ball-striking and clean card management, allowing him to separate by a single shot from Jed Dy (Rancho Santa Fe, CA), who sits solo second after a 2-under 70.

Senior Championship Division: Miyamoto on Top

In the Senior Championship Division, Craig Miyamoto (Sacramento, CA) matched the low round of the day with a 3-under 69, earning the outright lead after 18 holes.

Jeff Britton (Carmel, CA) sits one back at 1-under 71, while Daniel O’Connor (San Francisco, CA) rounded out the top three with an even-par 72.

Low Scorer – Mid-Amateur (Men, 25–49)

Ault’s strong form extended into the Mid-Amateur leaderboard, where his 69 also stands as the low score in the division.

Hudson Ross (Austin, TX) is second at +1, while Connor Tran (Gilroy, CA) and Vinay Ramesh (San Francisco) share third at +2.

Low Scorer – Super Senior (Men, 65+)

The Super Senior division saw Jim Williams (Orinda, CA) take early control with a 5-over 77, opening a one-shot cushion.

Jeff Duncan (Carson City, NV) and Ray Kong (San Jose, CA) sit one back, tied at +6.

Low Scorer – Women

In the Women’s Division, Cathy Zhang backed up her Championship Division performance with a commanding position atop the leaderboard, posting an even-par 72.

She holds a two-shot advantage over Erin Lee (San Ramon, CA) and Jayleen Sito (Pleasanton, CA), who share second at +2 after matching 74s.

About San Juan Oaks and the Winter Invitational

This year marks the Winter Invitational’s first stop at San Juan Oaks after a venue shift, bringing the event to the oak-lined foothills near Hollister for a two-day winter championship built around shot-making, competitive balance, and pace.

Originally designed by Fred Couples and Gene Bates, the course recently completed a comprehensive modernization that refined angles and playing surfaces while preserving its natural routing. The updates emphasized a “firm but fair” setup — streamlined bunkering, improved turf consistency, infrastructure upgrades, and rebuilt greens designed for smooth roll and confident putting.

The tournament is contested over 36 holes with threesomes off split tees and an intentional pace-of-play standard targeting approximately 4.5 hours per round. Multiple gross divisions run in parallel — including Championship, Senior (with Super Senior), Mid-Am, and Women — creating meaningful competition throughout the field.