After entering the day with a seven-stroke lead, the California Golden Bears found themselves trailing midway through the final round before they prevailed over UA by one stroke at the Arizona Intercollegiate. The Bears only had two of their five players under par, but that was all they needed to win the tournament with a 29-under-par score.

“”It would have been good to win,”” said individual winner and UA junior Rich Saferian. “”We were seven shots back and went five shots up. We didn’t take advantage of (the tournament) being on our home course, but overall it was a step in the right direction after we didn’t play that well in the fall.””

Cal — led by freshman Michael Weaver, who placed third individually at 10 under par — won their third tournament in five tries this season. All five Cal golfers finished in the top 20, including three in the top 10. Including Saferian, UA had three golfers in the top 20.

After entering the day in a tie for third place, Saferian, out of Scottsdale Community College, claimed the first individual victory of his collegiate career after he shot the best round of the day, a 5-under-par 66.

Saferian’s first-place finish was the first by a Wildcat this season and the UA’s first individual medalist since Tarquin MacManus at the 2009 NCAA Southeast Regional.

MacManus, a junior from Queensland, Australia, posted his first top-ten finish Tuesday after recording five of them during the 2008-09 season.

“”I just played solid out there and didn’t make many mistakes outside of the second round,”” MacManus said. “”I was pressing myself a little bit, but all in all it was a good couple days for the team.””

Up next for the Wildcats is a trip to Honolulu, Hawaii, as they take part in the John A. Burns Intercollegiate tournament from Feb. 17-19, an event hosted by the University of Hawaii.