Georgia, Phillips take first round leads at Southwestern Invite

There's a lot of red on top of the leaderboard after the first day of the Southwestern Invitational being held at the North Ranch Country Club in Westlake Village.

The Georgia Bulldogs, ranked 16th in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin poll, shot a 9-under 279 in Monday's first-round to open a four-stroke lead over No. 3 Arizona State, which finished at 5-under 283 on a beautiful midwinter's day in Southern California where temperatures reached the mid-70s.

Georgia's top dog, senior Trent Phillips, made seven birdies and an eagle en route to an opening round of 66, good for a one-stroke lead over UCLA veteran Devon Bling, who shot a 67.

Five of Phillips' birdies came in a seven-hole stretch through holes 4-10. After a bogey on 11, he made back-to-back birdies on holes 12 and 13 to move to 5-under on the day. The Inman, SC native who won the Sunnehanna Amateur in July more than made up for a bogey on 14 with an eagle on the par-5 15th.

Bling, a fifth-year senior who won the prestigious Pacific Coast Amateur in July, opened his round with a bogey but made six birdies thereafter for an opening round of 67.

In addition to Phillips' 66, Georgia also counted 2-under rounds of 70 from freshmen Buck Brumlow and Maxwell Ford.

Texas senior and two-time Walker Cup team member Cole Hammer aced the 202-yard 13th hole and is tied for third with SMU's Nathan Petronzio at 4-under 68. USC freshman Jackson Rivera, a four-time Rolex All-American from Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., held a share of the individual lead at 6-under through 15 holes but gave five strokes back following a double bogey on 16 and a triple on 17.

The Southwestern Invitational will continue on Tuesday and Wednesday at North Ranch Country Club, with GOLF Channel providing live coverage beginning at 1:30 p.m. PT.