April 27, 2004
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SAN DIEGO - The Aztecs enter the 2004 Mountain West Conference Championships as an underdog, but with serious title aspirations. This year's tournament is the most balanced and wide-open in the event's five-year history. Five of the eight teams in the field are ranked in the top 40 according to the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings. In addition to seeking its first-ever conference title, SDSU is also looking to secure its sixth straight NCAA appearance. The winner of the eight-team MWC Championship, played April 29-May 1 at the Sunriver Resort's Crosswater Course in Oregon, receives an automatic berth into the NCAA Regionals. Tee time is set for 9:30 am with 18 holes each day.
A Look At The Aztecs
* In the latest Golfweek/Sagarin district rankings, San Diego State is in fourth place with six teams from the Southwest District 7 receiving bids into the NCAA regionals. With that said, the Aztecs are in good shape to wrap up an invitation, but need at least a respectable finish this weekend to guarantee a spot.
* SDSU enters the tournament ranked No. 36 in the Golfweek/Sagarin listings, but No. 57 by Golfstat. The Aztecs have posted a combined 10-16 record against the MWC this season, but have defeated each team at least once with the exception of UNLV, who they are 0-3 against. SDSU is the fifth-highest ranked team in the field as UNLV, BYU, New Mexico and Colorado State are all in the top-30.
* The Aztecs' roster depth keys SDSU's success (five top-five results in 2003-04) and is a major contributor to its inconsistency (four finishes of second or better, four results of eighth or worse). Senior Mark Warman leads the way with a 71.50 stroke average and six top-10 finishes. However, the next seven Aztecs have posted averages within two strokes of each other and six have recorded a top-20 finish as a starter. Other than Warman, SDSU starters possess 12 top-20 finishes this season but only once has a starter registered back-to-back top-20s. Head coach Ryan Donovan has sent out 10 different lineups in 11 events this season, however the threesome of Aaron Choi, Aaron Goldberg and Warman have led SDSU in each of the past four tournaments including a victory at the Oregon Duck Invitational and last week's second place finish at the U.S. Intercollegiate.
The Field: At A Glance
* UNLV enters the tournament with the top Golfweek/Sagarin ranking at No. 14 and are No. 16 according to Golfstat. The Rebels are the only team with a perfect record against SDSU at 3-0 on the year. UNLV is led by junior Ryan Moore, who is not only the top ranked golfer in the conference but also the number two individual in the country according to Golfweek with a 69.69 stroke average.
* No. 16/11 BYU has some momentum entering the weekend as they have finished in the top five in five of their six spring tournaments. The Cougars use a balanced attack and enter the tournament as one of the favorites. BYU has four golfers in the top 12 and six in the top 18 of the final MWC regular season rankings. Sophomore Oscar Alvarez leads the group with a 71.67 stroke average.
* Defending champion New Mexico (No. 20/19) enters the tournament with sights set on becoming the first back-to-back winner in the tournament's history. UNM has had mixed results this spring with three top-four finishes in addition to two 11th place finishes. Sophomore Spencer Levin heads the squad with a 69.80 stroke average that ranks second in the conference.
* No. 26/32 Colorado State has the top duo in the conference with 2002 MWC champion Martin Laird and Nolan Martin leading the squad. Laird, who was beat in a playoff in last season's tournament, ranks third in the conference at 69.93, while his senior teammate averages 70.21 and is fourth. The question mark is whether the rest of the squad will be able to score well enough to propel the Rams to a title, which they have been able to do regularly this season as they have won five tournaments.
* No. 90/87 Utah has recorded five top-five finishes on the season, but only one in the spring. The Utes are led by senior Garrett Clegg whose 72.33 average places him 11th in the conference.
* Wyoming and (No. 158/160) and Air Force (No. 169/180) round out the field. Both schools do not have an individual on the MWC's top 25 leaderboard and possess only one result better than ninth in events consisting of 12 or more teams.
Mountain West History Lesson
* New Mexico is the defending MWC champion after earning a nine-stroke win over SDSU and BYU in 2003. UNLV is the only school with multiple championships, winning in 2002 and 2000, while BYU's 2001 championship makes them the only other team to win the title. SDSU has two runner-up finishes in 2001 as well as last season, and have also placed fourth in 2002 and fifth in 2000.
* The individual title has also been split between the tournament field as members of four different schools have won the event. Last season, senior Michael Letzig of UNM edged out defending champion Martin Laird of Colorado State in a playoff after they finished 54 holes tied at six-under par 210. Laird claimed the 2002 title by shooting 212, three strokes ahead of SDSU's Mark Warman. Laird, who also claimed a top-10 finish in 2001, will be one of this year's favorites as he is back for his fourth season. SDSU did claim the individual title in 2001 when then-junior John Lepak earned medallist honors with a one-stroke win. UNLV's Michael Kirk won the inaugural MWC title and still holds the tournament record with a seven-under 209.
Goldberg Claims First Collegiate Title at U.S. Intercollegiate
* Freshman Aaron Goldberg has given the Aztecs some momentum entering the post season after earning medalist honors at Stanford's U.S. Intercollegiate to end the regular season.
Goldberg fired a career-low eight- under par 208 to earn a four-stroke victory. Included in the victory were the top two scores of his career as he shot 68 to open the tournament and closed with a four-under 67 to win. It was the second win of the season for Goldberg, who also won the Aztec Battle at the Lakes as an individual earlier in the spring.
* Goldberg's performance, the third individual title of the season for an Aztec, sparked San Diego State to a second-place team finish in its final tune-up before the Mountain West Conference tournament. The Aztecs (855, +3) finished only behind No. 3 UCLA, while defeating two other teams in the top 20, including No. 7 Texas and No. 17 California.
* Joining Goldberg in the top 15 was senior Mark Warman, who registered a 212 to finish ninth, and Andrew Scott, who placed 14th after shooting 216.
Warman's World
* Mark Warman is expecting big things entering his third trip to the MWC Championships. Warman placed second in 2002 after shooting one-under 215. The senior is looking to rebound from last season's disappointing 18th-place finish where he posted a four-over 220. Warman has yet to register a victory this season but, entering as the fifth-ranked golfer in the field, has the potential to post winning numbers.
* After entering the season as one of Golf World's top players to watch on the year, SDSU senior Mark Warman has not disappointed. He has posted seven top-20 finishes in 10 tournaments and six times has placed in the top 10. Warman also holds an outstanding 71.50 stroke average, which leads the team and ranks fifth in the MWC. Warman has been climbing the individual rankings and has moved into 50th in Golfstat's report, and is ranked 62nd by Golfweek.
* The senior has posted two top three finishes this spring, including second place at the Roadrunner Invitational at two-under 211. He also placed third at the Oregon Duck Invitational by shooting three-under 213. Warman now has eight top-five finishes in his career. Warman also led SDSU in the Aztecs' first tournament of the spring by placing 16th at the John Burns Intercollegiate.
* Warman finished the fall by placing third at the Fresno Classic after shooting a 10-under 206. Warman also was eighth in both the Mid Pines Intercollegiate and the Husky Invitational during the fall.
Around The Green
* Head coach Ryan Donovan is using the starting lineup of Warman, Goldberg, Choi, Andrew Scott, and Jeff Hansen for the first time this season. However, the five do not lack experience as they have all played in at least seven tournaments this season.
* Each member of the starting five has posted at least a seventh-place finish this season. Goldberg and Hansen have both won varsity tournaments this season, while both Warman and Scott have posted runner-up finishes.
* Choi placed seventh to lead SDSU at the Border Olympics. In addition, he has posted three other top-20's and has shot par or better in seven of his last 12 competitive rounds. Choi was the second-leading scorer for the Aztecs in last season's MWC Championship as he placed 16th with a three-over par total of 219.
* Hansen enters the tournament with the second-best MWC ranking as he sits 10th with a 72.27 stroke average. Hansen led SDSU to its only team title of the year by taking medalist honors at the Oregon Duck Invitational when he shot five-under 211.
*Andrew Scott recorded his best finish at the Fresno State Lexus Classic in the fall when he fired an SDSU season-best 11-under par 205 to lead the squad to a second place finish. Scott enters the tournament with a 73.00 stroke average, which ranks 19th in the conference.
Head Coach Ryan Donovan
* Ryan Donovan is in his first season as the head coach of the San Diego State men's golf program. Donovan was the SDSU assistant golf coach prior to taking over the program. In addition, Donovan was a four-year member of the Aztec golf program and returned to SDSU after a stint in the professional ranks.