March 22, 2016
LAKESIDE, Calif. -
The San Diego State men's golf team completed a wire-to-wire victory with a final round 283 (5-under) to capture its fifth straight Barona Collegiate Cup Tuesday at the par-72, 7,365-yard Barona Creek Golf Club in Lakeside, Calif.
The Aztecs, who had seven players finish among the top 10, claimed the overall title at 26-under 838, outdistancing runner-up Minnesota (16-over 880) by 42 strokes. SDSU finished with the best first round (14-under 274) and second round (7-under 281) yesterday, and the lowest final round today (5-under 293) by 10 strokes. Boise State came in third at 20-over 884, while UC Santa Barbara (27-over 891) and Sacramento State (29-over 893) round out the top five.
"I'm happy with the way we competed out there," head coach Ryan Donovan said. "Our guys did a nice job of being aggressive and keeping the pedal to the metal. (The win) will give us confidence heading into a tough next tournament (at Arizona State)."
Brian Song was San Diego State's top finisher overall, coming in second with a 6-under 210. Song started the day in a tie for fourth, but shot a final round 1-under 71 to gain three shots on the eventual winner Runar Arnorsson of Minnesota. Song had three birdies and two bogeys on the final round. Arnorsson shot a school-record 10-under 62 for the Gophers in the opening round yesterday, and finished at 9-under 207 overall.
Ryann Ree, meanwhile, moved up three spots to tie for third with a final round score of 3-under 69 and finish at 5-under 211 overall. Ree had five birdies and three bogeys in his final round.
Riccardo Michelini, Gunn Yang and Blake Abercrombie all tied Oklahoma State's Nick Heinen for fifth place at 4-under 212. Michelini scattered six birdies with two bogeys and a double bogey for a final round 2-under. Yang, meanwhile, rebounded from a slow start where he was 6-over after five holes by finishing with five birdies and a bogey over the final 13 holes to card a 2-over 74. Competing as an individual, Abercrombie followed his 6-under 66 and even-par 72 with a final round of 2-over 74.
PJ Samiere had the best final round of any player today, finishing with a 7-under 65, thanks to three eagles, two birdies and a lone bogey. Samiere's 65 moved him from 22nd to a tie for ninth place at 3-under 213 with teammate Nahum Mendoza III. Mendoza III shot a 1-over 73 with one birdie and two bogeys.
Other Aztecs competing as an individual were Pablo Matesanz (T-24th, 7-over 223), Otto Vanhatalo (T-43rd, 14-over 230) and Michael Koeneke (78th, 35-over 251).
SDSU resumes competition at the ASU Thunderbird Invitational, beginning April 2 in Tempe, Ariz.
Barona Collegiate Cup
Final Results
Barona Creek Golf Club
Lakeside, Calif.
Par 72, 7,365 yards
Team Scores (Top 5 of 11 teams)
1. San Diego State - 274-281-283--838 (-26)
2. Minnesota - 283-297-300--880 (+16)
3. Boise State - 290-301-293--884 (+20)
4. UC Santa Barbara - 299-298-294--891 (+27)
5. Sacramento State - 283-306-304--893 (+29)
Individual Leaders (Top 5 of 80 players + SDSU)
1. Runar Arnorsson (Minnesota) - 62-71-74--207 (-9)
2. Brian Song (SDSU) - 69-70-71--210 (-6)
T3. Ryann Ree (SDSU) - 72-70-69--211 (-5)
T3. Branson Ferrier (Alabama State) - 68-71-72--211 (-5)
T5. Nick Heinern (Oklahoma State) - 70-73-69--212 (-4)
T5. Riccardo Michelini (SDSU) - 68-74-70--212 (-4)
T5. Gunn Yang (SDSU) - 68-70-74--212 (-4)
T5. * Blake Abercrombie (SDSU) - 66-72-74--212 (-4)
-----
T9. * PJ Samiere (SDSU) - 71-77-65--213 (-3)
T9. Nahum Mendoza III (SDSU) - 69-71-73--213 (-3)
T24. * Pablo Matesanz (SDSU) - 73-71-79--223 (+7)
T43. * Otto Vanhatalo (SDSU) - 77-77-76--230 (+14)
78. * Michael Koeneke (SDSU) - 80-87-84--251 (+35)
* - competed as an individual