Sept. 3, 2006
SAN DIEGO -
SDSU Men's Golf Weekly Release in PDF Format
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AZTEC GOLFERS SET TO OPEN 2006-07 SEASON IN JAPAN
* Coming off its eighth straight NCAA regional appearance, the San Diego State men's golf team will open its 2006-07 campaign this week when it travels across the Pacific Ocean to participate in The Topy Cup, Sept. 5-7, in Fukushima, Japan. The 54-hole season-opening tournament will be held at the par-72, 7,086-yard Tanagura Country Club, located approximately 130 miles northeast of Tokyo.
Four collegiate teams from the United States will compete against eight Japanese squads in the 24th annual event. First-time participants SDSU, Kentucky and Central Florida will comprise the American contingent along with Arizona State, which will be making its seventh appearance in the prestigious tournament. The opposition is expected to be rather formidable as Kentucky and ASU are ranked ninth and 10th, respectively, in Golf World's preseason coaches poll.
Last year, the Japanese team Tohoku Fukushi edged Georgia State by three strokes, shooting a 4-over 868 to claim its fifth team title in eight years. Tohoku Fukushi's Yuta Ikeda captured the individual crown, defeating GSU's Mark Haastrup in a playoff after both golfers finished in a tie atop leaderboard with a 3-under 213.
THIS WEEK'S LINEUP
* Head coach Ryan Donovan will take five golfers to Japan, led by junior Aaron Goldberg. The Carlsbad, Calif., native is SDSU's top returning golfer from a year ago, boasting a 72.58 stroke average in 13 tournaments. Goldberg was the Aztecs' top finisher in three events, including the Oregon Duck Invitational, where his tie for third place propelled SDSU to the team title. He also carded the third-lowest 18-hole score in school history with a 6-under-par 65 during the second round of the ASU Thunderbird Invitational. In addition, Goldberg received all-Mountain West Conference honors for his efforts last season.
The remaining four players in this week's lineup will be eager to make an immediate impression after appearing in only 16 combined tournaments during the 2005-06 campaign.
Senior John Gray posted a 73.93 stroke average in five events, finishing in a season-best tie for seventh at the Fresno State Lexus Classic with a 4-over-par 217. The Vista, Calif., product also had the team's low score during the third round of the MWC Championships, posting a 1-under 71 en route to a 37th-place tie overall.
Like Gray, junior Chad Moscovic competed in five tournaments as well last year with his best finish coming at The Club Glove Intercollegiate. The Stockton, Calif., native placed in a tie for 15th, helping SDSU claim its first team title of the year. Moscovic carded his lowest score of the season at the Barona Collegiate Cup, firing an identical 2-under 70 during the first and third rounds on the way to a 4-under 212 overall.
Rounding out the SDSU delegation in Japan is senior Jason Puterbaugh and his young brother, junior Jamie Puterbaugh, both of whom appeared in three varsity events in 2005-06. Jason logged his best score of the year with a 9-over-par 225, competing as an unattached golfer at the Oregon Duck Invitational. Jamie, meanwhile, carded a season-low score of even-par 216 at the Barona Collegiate Cup.
HEAD COACH Ryan Donovan
* San Diego State alumnus Ryan Donovan is entering his fourth season at the helm of the Aztec men's golf program. Under Donovan's tutelage last year, SDSU captured three tournament titles en route to its eighth straight NCAA regional appearance. Overall, the Aztecs compiled a 253-32 head-to-head record, finishing 29th in Golfweek/Sagarin's final collegiate poll.
Three Aztec golfers - seniors Andrew Scott and Josh Warthen and sophomore David Palm - also claimed individual titles during the season, while Scott and sophomore Aaron Goldberg garnered all-Mountain West Conference accolades.
In 2004-05, Donovan led SDSU to its second NCAA championship series appearance in three years after the Aztecs posted 12 top-10 individual finishes to go along with six straight top-five team finishes during the regular season.
Donovan was a four-year competitor for the SDSU golf squad from 1997- 2001. His most successful season came as a junior when he posted five top-30 finishes.
SUMMER WRAP
* Aztec golfers experienced a great deal of success over the summer, competing in high-level tournaments across the state and country. Leading the way was junior Jamie Puterbaugh, who claimed his second straight San Diego City Amateur Championship on Aug. 20 at Torrey Pines South Course in La Jolla. The Carlsbad, Calif., product captured the title by three strokes over USD alumnus Jimmy Harris with a 1-under 287. Seniors John Gray and Cory Segall finished in a tie for fifth at 8-over 296.
Segall, meanwhile, also participated in the U.S Amateur Public Links Championship in Bremerton, Wash., July 10-15. The La Jolla High graduate carded a two-round total of 1-over 145 to earn a spot in the match-play phase of the tournament. Segall, however, was upended 3 and 2 in his first match by Tim Feenstra of Lynden, Wash.
Junior Aaron Goldberg encountered a similar scenario at the California State Amateur Championship, June 19-24, at Pebble Beach. Goldberg qualified for the match-play portion of the competition, finishing in a tie for 14th during stroke play with a 3-over 219. After dispatching Mark Modglin of Simi Valley in his first match 4 and 3, Goldberg suffered a reversal of fortune in the quarterfinals, falling to eventual runner-up Jeff Gilchrist of Carmichael 2 and 1.
AZTEC MEN'S GOLF PROGRAM RECEIVES HIGH RANKING
* The San Diego State men's golf program was rated 25th in the nation in Golf Digest's "Golf First" rankings as part of its second annual College Golf Guide released last month. Golf Digest's "Golf First" rankings are designed to assist those high school players with aspirations of playing at the professional level after college by identifying the top schools which provide the best competition and facilities.
The publication employed a mathematical formula to rank the 772 NCAA member institutions which sponsor men's golf based on five criteria: a team's adjusted scoring average for the past four years, player growth while on the team, academics, climate and coaches/facilities.
San Diego State was ranked among the top 10 percent in scoring average and climate and was rated in the top 20 percent in the coaches/facilities category. Overall, UCLA took the top spot followed by Georgia Tech, Pepperdine, Rollins, and Florida.
"It's a tremendous honor to receive this recognition," said head coach Ryan Donovan. "We feel we have a solid foundation in place here, and to be acknowledged in this fashion will certainly pay dividends for us in the future."