Feb. 17, 2004
SAN DIEGO -
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* San Diego State will kick off the start of the 2004 spring season at the John Burns Intercollegiate in Wahiawa, Hawaii on the Leilehua Golf Course, which is 6,916 yards with a par of 72.
* The Aztecs have had great success at the Burns Intercollegiate the last two seasons taking the individual titles both years and the team championship in 2002. Lars Johannson is the defending champion of the tournament, however he has graduated and will not be able to defend his title. Johannson shot 74-66-68 for an eight-under total of 208 to lead SDSU to a second place finish at 850 (-14). The Aztecs earned a nine-stroke victory at the 2002 John A. Burns Intercollegiate by shooting 853 (-11), while John Lieber shot 207 (-9) to take the individual championship.
* Mark Warman and Aaron Choi both played in last season's tournament, and will return in this year's starting lineup. Warman has played the last two seasons earning top 20 finishes both years. Rounding out the SDSU roster are junior Linus Nilsson, sophomore Andrew Scott, and freshman Aaron Goldberg.
Scouting the Burns Intercollegiate
* The Burns Intercollegiate boasts a top-notch field with five teams ranked in Golfweek's Top 20 and 11 of the 20 teams ranked in the top 50. Leading the pack is MWC-foe UNLV at No. 10 and California at No. 15. Three other conference opponents are in the top 20 with New Mexico at No. 17, BYU at No. 19, and Colorado State at No. 20.
* The defending champion Arizona Wildcats are also in the field and are ranked No. 28 in the country. After a slow fall, Arizona turned things around in its first spring event by breaking the Arizona Intercollegiate scoring record to take the title.
* SDSU enters the tournament at No. 42, the ninth-ranked team of the group.
Spring Preview
* 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 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."
Warman's World
* After entering the season as one of Golf World's top 50 players to watch on the year, SDSU senior Mark Warman has not disappointed. He has posted three top-10 finishes in four tournaments and holds an outstanding 71.58 stroke average, the best on the team. Mark placed a season-best third in last week's Fresno Classic after shooting a 10-under 206. Warman also was eighth in both the Mid Pines Intercollegiate and the Husky Invitational. Warman is ranked 42nd in Golfstat's latest individual national rankings and 76th in Golfweek's listings.
By The Numbers
* The Aztecs begin the spring season ranked No. 42 by Golfweek with a rating of 72.05. Against the nation's 58th-ranked schedule, the Aztecs are 27-26-1 against Golfweek's Top 100, and 41-27-1 overall.
* According to Golfstat's 2003 Division I team rankings, the Aztecs are ranked 46th with a head-to-head record of 237-46.
Head Coach Ryan Donovan
* Ryan Donovan begins his first season as the head coach of the San Diego State men's golf program. Donovan was the SDSU assistant golf coach prior to taking over the program. In addition, Donovan was a four-year member of the Aztec golf program and returned to SDSU after a stint in the professional ranks. Donovan competed for the Aztecs from 1997 to 2001. His most successful season came as a junior when he posted five top-30 finishes.