Forest, who last played for the Tigers in the 2019-20 season as a redshirt junior, eagled the par-5 15th at Corica Park’s South Course in Alameda, Calif. to jump to four-under, where he would remain to post 68. He was the third group to finish on Saturday and will head to Sunday primed for a shootout as 17 players rest at or below par, including a four-way tie for second place just one shot back.
Brendon Choe of Orinda, Marc Engellenner of Rocklin, and newly-appointed Pacific men’s golf assistant coach Andy Moren round out the group of 69s, with Moren’s bogey-free day featuring an eagle at the drivable par-4 eighth.
Engellenner will be looking to cap off an impressive 2021 campaign -- which included a four-shot win at the Sacramento City Championship (thanks to a final round 62) and a November win at the Dixie Mid-Master in Florida.
Both Engellenner and Moren share the Mid-Amateur lead by two over Andrew McDonald and Jerry Ledzinski. Playing in the second to last group with barely enough light to finish and the temperature dropping into the low 40's, Ledzinski hit the pin with his second shot with a 9-iron from 145 yards out to set up a a tap-in birdie on the finishing hole.
In the Senior Division, only Tony Ralph of Sunnyvale was able to post a red number in the first round. His three consecutive back-nine birdies gives him a one-shot lead over Gomer Pearcy. Pearcy, of Aptos, had the lead for most of the day but succumbed to a three-over 39 on the backside despite eagling the 15th.
Tied for third at 74 are Craig Miyamoto of Sacramento, as well as 2021 Christmas Classic Senior winner Michael Staskus. For Staskus, his round gives him the Super Senior lead by one over Jim Williams.
The Net flight is led by Randall Schwartz at 72, followed closely by Tom Natividad at 73.
by Conner Penfold, special to AmateurGolf.com