GOLF / NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS : Irvine’s Holmes Surprises With a 67

UC Irvine walk-on freshman Steve Holmes, the No. 5 player on a team just hoping to make the cut, shot a personal-best five-under-par 67 in Wednesday’s opening round of the NCAA golf championships.

Holmes was seven under--good enough for a share of the course record--with two holes to play.

He missed three-iron shots on the final two holes, off the tee on No. 17 and approaching the green on No. 18, and bogeyed both holes.

“On 18, I wanted to hit driver-driver, but coach told me to go with the three-iron,” said Holmes. “I got a little conservative.”

Irvine Coach Steve Ainslie joined Holmes for the final four tough holes on the 7,246-yard Championship Course layout at the University of New Mexico.

Holmes, who shared the early lead with Houston’s Anders Hansen and Stanford’s Brad Lanning, is not deluded.

“I’m not looking to win this thing,” he said. “My job is to have one or two good rounds. I’ve done my job.”