March 4, 2007
SAN DIEGO -
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AZTEC GOLFERS SET TO DEFEND TEAM TITLE THIS WEEK AT CALLAWAY GOLF INVITATIONAL
- The San Diego State men's golf team resumes its 2007 spring schedule this week when it makes the short trip up Interstate 5 for the Callaway Golf Invitational, March 5-6, in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. The University of San Diego will serve as host for the 54-hole tournament, which will be contested at the 6,911-yard, par-72 Farms Golf Club. The action kicks off on Monday with the first two rounds starting at 8 a.m., while the final 18 holes are scheduled to be completed on Tuesday beginning at 7:30 a.m.
The two-day event features a field of 15 teams, including nine schools ranked in the top 100 according to the latest Golfweek/Sagarin Ratings released Feb. 25. UC Irvine (40th) is the highest-ranked team in the tournament, followed by Mountain West Conference rival Colorado State (58), UC Santa Barbara (59), SDSU (60), Arkansas (77), UC Davis (83), Denver (87), San Diego (89), Saint Mary's (94) and Nevada (99). In addition, the Aztecs will lock horns with Cal Poly, Long Beach State, San Jose State, Santa Clara, and Texas-Arlington.
San Diego State will be looking to defend its crown from a year ago at the Callaway Golf Invitational when the Scarlet and Black surged past host school USD over the final 18 holes to record the second of its three team titles on the season.
The Aztecs also captured a Torero home tournament in 2002 when SDSU cruised to an easy victory at the USD Invitiational at the Del Mar Country Club. Helping the Aztec cause was Mark Warman and Lars Johannson, who finished in a tie for second place, along with John Lieber and Scott Henderson, who placed fourth and fifth, respectively.
Following the Callaway Golf Invitational, SDSU will return to the fairways next week when it travels to the Central Valley for the Fresno State Lexus Classic, March 12-13, at Sunnyside Country Club in Fresno, Calif.
THIS WEEK'S LINEUP
- Head coach Ryan Donovan made one lineup change this week, replacing senior Cory Segall with sophomore Adam Porzak. This week's tournament marks the spring debut for the transfer from Pepperdine, who appeared in two events last fall, recording top-20 finishes at the Barona Collegiate Cup and Hawai'i Fall Intercollegiate.
Also making the short drive across town are juniors Ryan Citarella, Aaron Goldberg and Jamie Puterbaugh and senior Chris Cole. Junior Chad Moscovic is entered in the tournament as well and will compete as an individual.
Goldberg is the only golfer of the group who saw action on the Farms course in 2006 when he carded a 7-over-par 223 to finish in a tie for 10th along with teammate David Palm.
PARADISE REVISITED
- After jumping from 11th place into third between the first and second rounds, San Diego State's momentum stalled over the final 18 holes, forcing it to settle for a fourth-place finish at the John Burns Intercollegiate, Feb. 21-23, in Wahiawa, Hawaii. The Aztecs completed their first competition of the 2007 spring season by shooting a 1-under 287 on the final day of competiton for a three-round total of 8-under 856 at the 6,918-yard, par-72 Leilehua Golf Course.
Once again, SDSU was led by Aaron Goldberg, who carded a 5-under 211 for the tournament. The Encinitas, Calif., native was in contention after creeping to within two shots of the leaders entering the third round of action. However, after posting consecutive scores of 4-under 68 during the first 36 holes, Goldberg's total unexpectedly ballooned to a 3-over 75 on the last day, knocking him out of the race and into a tie for 13th place. Still, the La Costa Canyon High alumnus posted his third-best 54-hole score of the year and became the Aztecs' top finisher for the sixth time in as many starts.
Cory Segall and Ryan Citarella recorded the low scores of the day for the Scarlet and Black as both golfers shot a 2-under 70 over the final round. With his effort, Segall carded his best round of the season, climbing an additional 13 spots on the final day to finish in a tie for 30th place with a 1-under 215. Citarella also continued his rapid ascent up the leaderboard, tying for 32nd with an even-par 216. In all, the Santiago Canyon College transfer moved up 47 spots after the first round of play.
Chris Cole displayed improvement for the second day in a row as well, firing an even-par 72 to finish the tournament in a tie for 75th with a combined 6-over 222. Fellow teammate Jamie Puterbaugh was not as fortunate, however, stumbling to a 6-over 78 over the final 18 holes. The Aztec junior vaulted into the top 20 after the second round, but fell from the 18th spot into a tie for 63rd after finishing with a 4-over 220.
Brigham Young carded a 30-under-par 834 to win the team championship, shooting an incredible 18-under-par 270 during the final round to overtake 36-hole leader UNLV (-22) by eight strokes. Meanwhile, Texas A&M (-9), SDSU (-8) and Colorado State (-6) rounded out the top five positions. Frank Wrenn of SMU, who competed as an individual, claimed medalist honors by one stroke over BYU's Nick Ellison after carding a 13-under 203.
FLASHBACK: 2006 CALLAWAY GOLF INVITATIONAL
- Overcoming a lackluster performance in its second tournament of the 2006 spring season at USC's Ashworth Intercollegiate, San Diego State rebounded in grand fashion with a come-from-behind victory two weeks later at the Callaway Golf Invitational. The Aztecs captured their second tournament title of the season, surging past cross-town rival San Diego by 12 strokes with a 16-over-par 880. Following the leaders were San Jose State and Loyola Marymount, which finished in a tie for third, while Long Beach State and California tied for the fifth spot.
After grabbing a first-round lead, the Aztecs watched as tournament host USD caught fire, jumping from the seventh position to take a one-shot lead over the Scarlet and Black after the second round. SDSU responded to the Toreros' charge, however, carding a tournament-low 288 as a team over the final 18 holes to win going away.
Senior Andrew Scott led the Aztecs for the fifth time in 2005-06, posting a runner-up finish with a 2-under-par 214. Scott tallied his eighth sub-par round of the year, shooting a 1-under 71 on the final day. The Henderson, Nev., native also recorded his fifth round of the season in the 60s when he fired a 3-under 69 to open the tournament.
Then-sophomore Cory Segall logged his best collegiate finish since a second-place effort at the 2003 Husky Invitational, tying for sixth with a 5-over 221. Two shots behind Segall were fellow classmates David Palm and Aaron Goldberg, who both carded a 7-over 223 to tie for 10th with four other golfers.
Senior Josh Warthen, meanwhile, shook off some early trouble, recording a 1-over 73 during the final round to finish in a tie for 37th with a 230.
GOLDBERG GOLDEN
- As a result of his stellar play during the fall season, Aaron Goldberg earned MWC Golfer of the Month honors in October and November, becoming the first SDSU player to capture the award in consecutive months since the conference's inception in 1999. The Encinitas, Calif., native was the Aztecs' top finisher in all five tournaments, completing 11 of 15 rounds below par. He also led the team with a 70.00 stroke average and four top-5 finishes, including the individual title at the District 7 Shootout. After tying for 13th in his first outing of the spring at the John Burns Intercollegiate, Goldberg enters this week ranked 51st in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin individual performance index released Feb. 25.