Hawai'i's team of Ryan Perez, David Saka and Lorens Chan is tied for 18th after yesterday's first round of the eighth USGA Men's State Team Championship at The Country Club of St. Albans in St. Louis.

Hawai'i has the youngest team in the tournament. Chan is 15, Saka 16 and Perez, a former University of Hawai'i golfer, is 23. Perez and Chan both shot 1-over 72 for a team total of 144. Saka's 74 did not count.

Perez rallied with three birdies after playing the first three holes in 4-over. Chan was 1-under before taking double-bogey on the last hole.

Hawai'i also had the youngest team at the Women's Team Championship earlier this month. Hawai'i took third there.

Kansas leads the 51-team field with a total of 9-under 133, two shots better than South Carolina and Tennessee.

Individually, Perez and Chan stand 34th, eight shots behind the leader. Saka is 67th.

The 54-hole championship, which has been conducted biennially since 1995, continues today and tomorrow.