March 15, 2002
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Aztecs Look To Go Back-To-Back-To-Back
Winners of two straight tournaments, the 17th-ranked San Diego State men's golf team looks to make it three in a row this week when the Aztecs make their final local appearance of the season at the USD Invitational. The two-day, 54-hole tournament will be played at the Del Mar Country Club (par 72, 6,950 yards) in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., March 18-19 and is being hosted by the University of San Diego. The USD Invitational tees off with 36 holes on Monday at 8 a.m., with the final 18 holes slated for Tuesday.
The Field
In addition to the 17th-ranked Aztecs and tournament host USD, 15 schools will be vying for this year's USD Invitational crown, including Cal State Northridge, Connecticut, Dartmouth, Denver, Gonzaga, Loyola Marymount, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Portland, Rice, San Francisco, Southern Utah, Utah, Western Kentucky and Yale. San Diego State is the only participating team ranked in the most recent Golfweek top 50 poll.
Aztecs Versus The Field
San Diego State has finished in the top five in 6-of-7 tournaments this season and enters the week with a 93-14 overall record. SDSU has faced just six teams in this year's USD Invitational field, posting a perfect 12-0 record against Cal State Northridge (1-0), Denver (4-0), Gonzaga (1-0), San Francisco (3-0), Southern Utah (1-0), and Utah (3-0).
Back Spin - Aztecs Win Pacific Coast
Junior John Lieber, sophomore Mark Warman and senior Scott Henderson all finished in the top five as San Diego State cruised to a 12-stroke victory last week at the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate. It was the second win in as many tournaments for the Aztecs, who just the week before took the top spot at the John Burns Intercollegiate in Hawaii. The Aztecs led by six stokes after the opening 36 holes, before widening their advantage to 12 over second-place finisher Fresno State, completing the three-round event with a team score of 2-over 866. Lieber and Warman again paced San Diego State, finishing play at 2-under 214 to tie for second, two stokes behind medalist Jason Higton of Pacific. Henderson finished up with a career-low score of 1-over 217 to take fifth. Junior Lars Johansson just missed his first top-20 finish of the spring, taking 21st at 223, while senior Brandon Kearney took 43rd with a final score of 227.
No Doubt About It, Aztecs On Fire
San Diego State, which has now opened the spring season with two wins in two tournaments, continues to prove itself to be one of the nation's strongest teams. The Aztecs have now finished in the top six of all seven tournaments during the 2001-02 campaign, including two wins, two seconds, a fourth and a fifth.
Aztecs Move Up in Both Polls
San Diego State cracked the top 25 in both major national polls on the heels of its victory at last week's Pacific Coast Intercollegiate. The Aztecs, who have been ranked in the Golfweek top 50 all season, moved from No. 26 to No. 17. SDSU also made its debut in the GCAA Coaches poll and enter the week ranked No. 25.
Whole Greater Than Sum Of Its Parts
The success San Diego State has enjoyed this season has been a result of a solid team effort by the Aztecs. Despite being ranked in the top 25 of both major polls, SDSU does not have a single player ranked among Golfweek's top-50 individuals. John Lieber is the highest ranked Aztec at No. 67 despite top-5 finishes in 4-of-7 tournaments this season. Mark Warman is also ranked in the top 100 at No. 90.
Lieber February Golfer Of The Month
John Lieber was named Mountain West Conference Men's Golfer of the Month for February following his win at the John Burns Intercollegiate. The victory was the first individual crown of his collegiate career. The junior fired an eight-under 207 (65-71-71) over 54 holes and led the event wire to wire, including a career-low opening-round 7-under 65.
Aztec Chip Shots
* Eight of the nine players who have appeared in at least two tournament's this season own stroke averages under 74.0.
* Of players with at least nine competitive rounds this season, junior John Lieber owns the Aztecs' stroke average lead at 72.0.
* Lieber had his consecutive-rounds-of-par-or-better string snapped at eight after carding a final-round 73 at the Pacific Coast last week. Prior to that, the junior had averaged 69.5 over the previous eight rounds.
Head Coach Dale Walker
The San Diego State men's golf program is in its second season under the direction of head coach Dale Walker. He guided the Aztecs to a top-25 ranking and a 12th-place finish at the 2001 NCAA West Regional in his first year at the helm. A 1980 graduate of SDSU, Walker was a standout performer for the Aztecs from 1975-79. Walker has guided the Aztecs to five tournament titles since taking over as head coach.
Fall 2001 Stroke Averages Avg. Rds.Gilberto Rodriguez 71.2 6John Lieber* 72.0 21Mark Warman* 72.3 21Chris Galeski 72.5 6Lars Johansson* 72.9 17Scott Henderson* 73.2 12Brandon Kearney* 73.3 21Charlie Smith 73.9 9Linus Nilsson 75.5 6Jarrod Jenkins 76.3 3
*Probable SDSU starter at the USD Invitational