Kitayama, UNLV lead after first round of MW men’s golf meet

Kurt Kitayama shot a 6-under-par 65 to take a one-stroke lead and put UNLV ahead after the first round of the Mountain West men’s golf championships Friday in Tucson, Ariz.

Kitayama, a senior, had three birdies on the front nine and three on the back in his bogey-free round to help the Rebels to an 11-under 273 and a seven-stroke lead over second-place San Diego State and UNR in the 11-team event.

Kitayama’s score was one shot off the single-round record at the conference championships, and UNLV’s score was one stroke off the tournament’s first-round record and two strokes off the single-round mark, which the Rebels set in 2009 and tied in 2010.

UNLV senior Carl Jonson is in a two-way tie for sixth at 3-under 68, and Rebels freshmen Shintaro Ban and John Oda are tied for eighth at 1-under 70. UNLV junior A.J. McInerney is tied for 18th at 1-over 72.

The 54-hole tournament concludes Sunday.