April 17, 2008
SAN DIEGO -
SDSU Men's Golf Weekly Release in PDF Format
SDSU MEN'S GOLF HEADS TO STANFORD THIS WEEK FOR FINAL REGULAR-SEASON TOUR STOP
* In its final tuneup before the Mountain West Conference Championships, the San Diego State men's golf team heads north this weekend to compete in the U.S. Intercollegiate, April 19-20, in Stanford, Calif. The first two rounds of the 54-hole event will be contested on Saturday, while the final 18 holes are slated for Sunday at the challenging 6,835-yard, par-70 Stanford Golf Course. Both days will feature a 7:30 a.m. shotgun start, and a live scoring link will be provided on the home page of GoAztecs.com.
THE FIELD: SDSU AMONG SEVEN TOP-50 SQUADS
* The Aztecs, ranked 33rd in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin performance index released April 13, are the only non-Pac-10 team of the seven top-50 schools traveling to the Bay Area this weekend. At No. 3, UCLA is the highest-rated squad in the tournament, followed by USC (5), host school Stanford (11), Arizona State (20), SDSU (33), Oregon State (45) and Oregon (50). The Aztecs will also get one last look at 53rd-ranked TCU prior to the MWC Championships, which are set to begin April 24. Two other Pac-10 affiliates in California and Washington are also entered, while Hawaii-Hilo, Minnesota, Nevada, Northern Colorado, San Jose State, Toledo, UC Davis and UC Irvine round out the 18-team field.
FOR THE RECORD: AZTECS VS. THE FIELD
* SDSU will be gunning for its fourth team title of the season when it hits the fairways in Northern California. The Aztecs claimed the top spot at the Alister MacKenzie Invitational in October before hoisting trophies at the Fresno State Lexus Classic and Oregon Duck Invitational last month. The Scarlet and Black has also recorded a top-five finish in five of its other seven 54-hole tournaments and enters the week with a dazzling 126-23-1 record (.843 pct.) in head-to-head competition. SDSU has faced 12 teams in the 2008 U.S. Intercollegiate field, posting a 28-8 mark this year. The Aztecs will square off against USC, Stanford, Minnesota, Toledo and Hawaii-Hilo for the first time this season.
REWIND: 2007 U.S. INTERCOLLEGIATE
* SDSU did not compete at Stanford last year, choosing to rest one week before the conference tournament. Led by Rob Grube's medalist performance of 8-under 202, the host Cardinal tied Minnesota for the 2007 team title with a three-round total of 2-under 838.
The Aztecs wound up in a tie for sixth out of 17 teams in the 2006 edition of the U.S. Intercollegiate after the third round was canceled due to torrential rains. Josh Warthen was SDSU's top finisher that season, carding a 5-over 145 to tie for 12th place.
The Scarlet and Black has had a history of success in the tournament, with two individuals taking home medalist honors. In 2003, then-junior Mark Warman fired a school-record 9-under 62 during the second round en route to a 206 for his first-ever collegiate victory. The following year in 2004, Aaron Goldberg claimed the top prize as a freshman, carding an 8-under 205 for his second win as an Aztec. As a team, SDSU posted its highest finish in both 2004 and 2005 when it occupied the runner-up position.
THIS WEEK'S LINEUP
* For the sixth straight tournament this spring, head coach Ryan Donovan will utilize the same lineup as five Aztec golfers make the journey north to the Bay Area. Leading the way once again is senior extraordinaire Aaron Goldberg, who will be joined by fellow classmate Chad Moscovic, junior David Palm and freshmen deluxe Johan Carlsson and Matt Hoffenberg. Goldberg leads the squad with a 71.03 stroke average, followed closely by Hoffenberg (71.83), Palm (72.58) and Carlsson (72.71), while Moscovic (75.64) ranks sixth on the team.
Goldberg, Moscovic and Palm all have playing experience at the U.S. Intercollegiate. This weeked will mark Goldberg's third appearance in tournament, while Moscovic and Palm gear up for their second starts each. In addition to his aformentioned individual title, Goldberg finished in a tie for 43rd in 2006, followed by Moscovic (t-46th) and Palm (t-78th).
A LOOK AT THE COURSE
* Built in 1930 by renowned architects William Bell and George C. Thomas, Stanford Golf Course has its own special lore dating back nearly eight decades. Throughout its history, Stanford has played host to many intercollegiate and non-collegiate events, including the Pac-10 Championships, NCAA West Regional, Women's NCAA Championships, USGA Junior Amateur Qualifying, U.S. Open Qualifying and a former Senior PGA Tour event, The Gathering at The Farm. Located in the foothills above the Stanford University campus, the 18th tee is probably the most picturesque because of its spectacular view of the San Francisco skyline and nearly the entire Bay Area. Stanford Golf Course was voted sixth best in the University Course category by Golfweek in 2004 and was selected as the ninth-best College Course by Golf Digest in 2005. Stanford Golf Course has produced many influential golfers over the years, including former USGA presidents Sandy Tatum and Grant Spaeth, and PGA Tour professionals Tom Watson, Tiger Woods and Notah Begay III.
GOLDBERG NAMED TO NICKLAUS AWARD WATCH LIST
* Senior Aaron Goldberg was one of 20 Division I golfers named to the 2008 Jack Nicklaus Award watch list as announced by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) on April 8. The Nicklaus Award is presented to the player of the year in NCAA Divisions I, II and III, as well as the NAIA.
Goldberg, a 2007 honorable mention All-American and two-time all-league perfomer, leads the MWC with a 71.03 stroke average this season among players who have completed at least 30 rounds. The Encinitas, Calif., native also captured back-to-back MWC men's golfer of the month accolades in February and March, giving him five monthly awards for his career. Goldberg, who garnered MWC golfer of the month honors on three occasions during the 2006-07 campaign, is ranked 14th in the latest GolfStat Cup standings released April 15.
The Nicklaus Award recipients will be named immediately following the final round of each respective national championship. All four Nicklaus Award honorees will be invited to Muirfield Village for the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Morgan Stanley at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, just outside Nicklaus' hometown of Columbus to receive their trophies from Mr. Nicklaus. Additionally, a 20-player All-Nicklaus Team - which will include outstanding players from NCAA Divisions I, II and III and the NAIA - will be named June 10.
IN RANGE
* Following the U.S. Intercollegiate, San Diego State heads to back to the desert for the MWC Championships, April 24-26, in Tucson, Ariz. For the second straight year, the nine league rivals will compete for the title on the 7,136-yard, par-71 Catalina Course at the Omni Tucson National Golf Resort.
RECAPPING THE ASU THUNDERBIRD INVITATIONAL
* Matt Hoffenberg fired a 3-under-par 68 to lead San Diego State during the final round of the 36th annual ASU Thunderbird Invitational on April 13 in Tempe, Ariz. Despite shooting a 6-over 290 as a team, SDSU (+24, 876) still managed to climb three places over the final 18 holes, finishing in the eighth position at the 7,057-yard, par-71 Karsten Golf Course.
After jumping 21 spots during the second round, Hoffenberg maintained his assault on the individual leaderboard by vaulting an additional 31 places over the final 18 holes to finish in a tie for 14th at 2-over 215. The Simi Valley, Calif., native tied two other golfers for the low round of the day, carding three birdies while posting an eagle on the par-5 14th. With his effort, Hoffenberg equaled his third-best round as a collegian en route to his seventh straight top-20 finish in as many starts this spring.
Right behind Hoffenberg was Aaron Goldberg, who managed to move up one notch during the third round after carding a final-round 73 to finish the tournament in a tie for 16th at 3-over 216. Goldberg, who hopped 37 places during the second, had his ascent sandbagged by three bogeys over the final 18 holes; however, the Aztec senior still came away with his 10th top-20 showing in 11outings this season.
Meanwhile, fellow classmate Chad Moscovic matched his second-best total of the year thus far, tying for the 46th position at 9-over 222. Moscovic drained consecutive birdies on the front nine en route to a 73 to tie Goldberg for SDSU's second-best score of the final round. Completing the scoring for the Aztecs was freshman Johan Carlsson who closed with a 5-over 76 to tie for 69th at 13-over 226.
With two squads participating, host school Arizona State captured the tournament title and runner-up spot at 9-under and even par, respectively, while Texas A&M (+7), Colorado State (+7) and Denver (+8) rounded out the top five. Denver's Espen Kofstad (-3) rallied from the 14th position to edge Knut Borsheim of Arizona State (-2) by one shot to take home medalist honors.