Arizona ahead of Utah

HIGHLAND — The Arizona team jumped out to a comfortable lead after the first day of the annual Utah-Arizona Shootout Monday at Alpine Country Club.

The Arizona golfers hold a 20-16 lead in the 19th annual tournament, which pits 12 top amateurs from each state against each other in a Ryder Cup-style tournament. The event is in its 19th year and each state has won nine times.

The tournament features two seniors and two women on each side and that's where Utah excelled Monday.

Utah's senior players, Mike Hacker and Rob Bachman picked up 41/2 points by winning their morning four-ball match and halving their afternoon foursomes (alternate shot) match. Utah's women, Annette Gaiotti and Echo Thatcher, won four points by winning their morning match and halving the afternoon match.

Utah trailed 111/2-61/2 after the morning round, but cut the lead in the afternoon thanks to victories by the Dan Horner-Darrin Overson team and the Andrew Barton-Tyson Lund team.

Today will feature 12 individual matches, each worth three points.

—Mike Sorensen