Jacob Sosa spurs Longhorns to first round lead at Southwestern Invitational

Losing three stalwarts off last year's national championship team, Texas head coach John Fields knew he had huge shoes to fill going into the 2023 season.

While twins Parker and Pierceson Coody along with Cole Hammer have gone on to pursue their professional careers, Fields restocked his pantry with a talented freshmen class that is growing up right before his eyes.

Behind freshman Jacob Sosa's 11-under 61, Texas grabbed the first-round lead at the Southwestern Invitational on Monday, carding a team score of 18-under 270 to open a five-stroke lead over No. 2 Arizona State. Oregon is a distant third at 4-under.

Texas' talented freshman class of Sosa, Keaton Vo (-5) and Christiaan Mass (-4) combined to go 20-under par in cool conditions at North Ranch Country Club, giving Fields a glimpse of the possibilities of what's in store for the Longhorns in the years to come.

Sosa, a product of Austin's Westlake High School, made three eagles on Monday at North Ranch en route to setting the tournament's single-round scoring record with an 11-under-par score of 61. He holed out for an eagle on the par 4 second, added another eagle on the par 5 fourth and birdied the eighth to turn in 31.

Just when it looked like it couldn't get any better for Sosa, it did.

After making a birdie on the 11th, Sosa made his third eagle of the day on the par-5 12th to move to 8-under and then preceded to birdie three of his last four holes for an inward nine of 30 and a round of 61, setting a Texas school record.

To put it in perspective, it took Sosa just seven rounds into his collegiate career to shoot a number that eluded the likes of major champions Ben Crenshaw, Tom Kite, Justin Leonard and Scottie Scheffler.

New tournament record for @TexasMGolf’s Jacob Sosa after an impressive first day at @SouthwesternInv. pic.twitter.com/x4Iqdp78b5

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) January 31, 2023

Vo, another local product from Austin's Anderson High School, had eight birdies on his card en route to a 5-under 67. He is one of three golfers tied for third place behind Sosa and Luke Potter of Arizona State, who turned in a 7-under round of 65 on Monday.

Maas, the former South African Amateur and English Open Stroke Play Amateur champion, finds himself tied for sixth at 4-under following an opening round of 68.

The Southwestern Invitational continues on Tuesday with second-round action from North Ranch Country Club. GOLF Channel will provide live coverage beginning at 1:30 p.m. PT.