May 18, 2002
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The 23rd-ranked San Diego State men's golf team, fourth after the opening two rounds of the NCAA West Regional, slipped into a 10th-place tie after Saturday's final round before being eliminated by Texas Tech in a one-hole playoff as the Red Raiders claimed the final spot out of the West in the 2002 NCAA Men's Golf Championships.
For the second straight day, the Aztecs struggled with New Mexico's Championship Golf Course, shooting a combined 9-over 297 during the third round to finish up with a three-day team total of 18-over 882. With an early-morning tee time, SDSU then had to wait out the finish of the tournament. Five hours later they learned that Texas Tech, which shot a 1-under team total of 287, had forced the playoff.
The Red Raiders then needed just one playoff hole to eliminate the Aztecs, defeating San Diego State by two strokes.
"Coming so close and not reaching nationals is a hard pill to swallow," said SDSU head coach Dale Walker. "Hopefully we can learn from this. Having to wait around for five hours certainly didn't help us. But the bottom line is that we should have never put ourselves in that position."
If there was a silver lining in the day's events it was that sophomore Mark Warman, who after competing in the team playoff, claimed one of two individual berths to nationals in a three-player individual playoff.
Host school New Mexico used its home-course advantage to fire the low team round of the day, carding a 4-under 284 and finishing in a two-way tie for first with Washington at 8-over 872. Mountain West Conference champion UNLV finished third at 10-over 874.
Arizona's Ricky Barnes and Minnesota's Justin Smith shared medalist honors, completing the 54-hole tournament a 6-under 210. Warman wrapped up regulation play tied for eighth at even-par 215. Senior Brandon Kearney and John Lieber also placed in the top 50, finishing tied for 16th and 44th, respectively.
The 2002 NCAA Men's Golf Championship will be hosted by Ohio State, May 29-June 1 in Columbus, Ohio.
Men's College Golf
2002 NCAA West Regional - Final Results
Championship Golf Course
Albuquerque, N.M.
Par: 72; Yardage: 7,368
Final Team Results (Top 10 advance to NCAA Championship)
T1. 872-New Mexico; Washington. 3. 874-UNLV. 4. 875-Minnesota. 5. 877-Pepperdine. T6. 878-Arizona; Pacific; Texas. 9. 879-Fresno State. T10. 882-San Diego State; Texas Tech. 12. 883-California. T13. 885-Oregon; UCLA. 15. 889-Ohio State. 16. 890-Nevada. 17. 891-Stanford. 18. 895-Southern California. 19. 899-Washington State. 20. 900-Arizona State. 21. 901-Brigham Young. 22. 903-UC-Irvine. 23. 911-Colorado State. 24. 913-Illinois State. 25. 928-IU-Purdue U.-Indy. 26. 933-Detroit. 27. 937-Central Conn. St.
Top- 5 Individuals
T1. 210-Ricky Barnes (Ariz.); Justin Smith (Minn.). 3. 214-Nick Watney (FSU). T4. 215-Scott Hailes (NM); Matt Hansen (Pacific); Brock Mackenzie (Wash.); Ben Scribner (Pacific).
SDSU Individuals
T8. 216-Mark Warman. T16. 218-Brandon Kearney. T44. 222-John Lieber. T72. 226-Lars Johansson. T119. 233-Scott Henderson.
*Defeated SDSU by two strokes in a one-hole playoff.
^Advanced to the 2002 NCAA Championships as an individual, claiming one of two spots in a three-player individual playoff.