Feb. 11, 2004
SAN DIEGO - Last season the 2003 Aztec golf program regained its status as one of the top programs in the West as it returned to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 1999, behind the strength and experience of six seniors. The 2004 Aztecs have a much different look with 11 underclassmen and a new head coach but still have the same high expectations of competing for a national title.
Steady improvement has been a staple for SDSU over the past four years, with positive steps being taken each season. This year's goal is for a repeat performance in the NCAA Championships, a feat that has not been done at SDSU in 20 years, and with talent galore and youthful exuberance Ryan Donovan's 2004 Aztecs will settle for nothing less than a spot among the nation's elite come season's end.
A successful fall gives Coach Donovan a reason to be optimistic about what the future holds for this spring. The Aztecs posted two runner-up finishes as a team and had three different individuals place in the top three. But instead of having only a couple of players posting low scores, Donovan believes the depth of the squad will key the team's success as 10 players competed in at least two tournaments in the fall.
"We don't just have three or four great players," said Donovan. "We have 10 players that can really play and contribute for us this spring. It really helps push people to get better because they know that there are no guarantees they will be in the lineup unless they play well."
The Lead Dog
However, even with great competition there is still a leader of the pack. This season it is the Aztecs' lone senior, a two-time All-Mountain West Conference selection Mark Warman. Warman led the team in scoring in the fall with a 71.58 stroke average, which is nothing new as he also posted SDSU's lowest stroke average in each of the past two seasons.
According to Donovan it is not just his smooth swing that makes Warman excel. "One of his best attributes is that he knows he is good," Donovan said. "He isn't arrogant, but his confidence is there every time he plays. When he steps to the first tee, he believes he is going to win and that gives him a big edge over the field."
Despite the lack of experience on the team overall, there is no shortage of experience for Warman. He has finished in the top 20 in 20 different events in his four seasons, including a record-setting victory at the 2003 U.S. Intercollegiate as he set new SDSU lows for 18-hole and 54-hole scores. Warman also has big tournament credentials as he qualified for the NCAA Championships as an individual in 2002, before leading last season's squad to the postseason.
Emerging Stars
Donovan has two more returnees from last year's championship that he will be counting on, junior Aaron Choi and sophomore Andrew Scott. Choi and Scott both played their way into the lineup for the NCAA Championship a year ago and will use the experience to get back there this season. Scott posted the Aztecs' best score of the fall, as he finished second at the Fresno Lexus Classic with a total of 11-under par. Choi played in a team-high eight tournaments last spring and led SDSU at the William Tucker Invitational this fall.
"Choi and Scott will be important for this team if we are to contend at nationals," said Donovan. "They have been here for a while and know what it takes. Their work ethic has been great and they are working really hard to help this team attain its goals."
The list of Aztecs playing in their first season is impressive. Cory Segall, a redshirt freshman, posted two top 10 finishes in the fall and the squad's second best stroke average at 72.17 in his first season of varsity competition.
Jamie Puterbaugh and Aaron Goldberg are both true freshmen that contributed in the starting five for SDSU during the fall, and will be looked upon to repeat that performance when the pressure is turned up this spring. Steven Eshbach and Jeff Hansen are two transfers that have the ability to crack the lineup with quality scores.
In addition, two newcomers this spring Josh Warthen, a junior-college star, and Chris Cole, a player with valuable international experience, also have the potential to post low numbers and be a regular in the rotation.
Looking Ahead
The spring begins with a tournament in Hawaii, which will expose the Aztecs not only to great sandy beaches and sunshine, but also to a host of quality teams. The result of the opener will set the tone for the rest of the spring at five other competitions, including the Arizona State Thunderbird Invitational and the Stanford Invitational heading into the postseason.
The Aztecs head to Sunriver, Ore., for the Mountain West Championships where they will try and win SDSU's first conference title in the history of the program. The course will be the same as the one the squad will play if it qualifies for its sixth consecutive NCAA Regional.
"Playing the conference championship at Sunriver is a great advantage for us," said Donovan. "Hopefully, we can take advantage, play well at regionals, and make a return trip to nationals."
This season's national tournament will be held in Hot Springs, Virginia on May 2-5 and Donovan has high expectations for his team's trip to Virginia "Last year we set the bar by advancing to nationals. This year we want to raise the bar and contend for a national championship and I feel we have the talent to make a run."