May 30, 2008
Complete Third Round Results in PDF Format
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Third-round action at the 2008 NCAA men's golf championships was suspended on Friday after severe thunderstorms moved into the area at approximately 6 p.m. (EDT). San Diego State was in 12th place as 15 of 30 teams were still on the course when play was halted. The competition was also delayed for 40 minutes at 4:15 p.m. due to lightning from a storm that passed just to the north of Purdue University's Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex. The unfinished round is scheduled to be completed on Saturday beginning at 7 a.m. (EDT) with the top 15 squads qualifying for the final round.
Battling breezy conditions all day, the Aztecs put themselves in decent position to advance, climbing seven spots into 12th after shooting a combined 3-over-par through holes 13-17. With its effort, SDSU (+40) is currently five strokes above the cut line, where Auburn (+45 through 15-17) and Texas A&M (+45, 909) are tied for 14th. The five schools below the cut line include Texas (+48 through 10-12), UC Irvine (+49 through 11-14), Middle Tennessee State (+49, 913), UAB (+50 through 15-17) and Wake Forest (+51 through 11-14).
The Aztecs' low score of the third round was turned in by freshman Matt Hoffenberg, who walked off the course at 1-under par through 16 holes. The Simi Valley, Calif., native tied for the team lead with four birdies, including one on the par-5 10th, his first hole of the day. Hoffenberg also kept his composure under ominous skies, notching three straight pars before the storm hit. With his effort, the 2008 Mountain West Conference freshman of the year vaulted 51 places into a tie for 71st.
Junior David Palm (Landvetter, Sweden), who led the Scarlet and Black with an even-par 72 during the second round, was even through 14 holes as well on Friday. The 2008 all-MWC selection got off to a blistering start with four birdies and six pars on his first 10 holes, but had his momentum derailed at this juncture by the 40-minute lightning delay. When play resumed, Palm suffered two bogeys and a double-bogey, respectively, on three consecutive holes before regrouping with a par on No. 5, his 14th hole of the day. Despite the hiccup, Palm is currently tied for ninth on the individual leaderboard.
Freshman Johan Carlsson also carded an even-par total through 13 holes. The Gothenburg, Sweden, product was able to offset three bogeys with three birdies to climb from the 63rd position into a tie for 27th.
Meanwhile, senior Aaron Goldberg (Encinitas, Calif.) picked up the pieces of a disastrous second-round 85, completing 15 holes at 4-over on Friday. The La Costa Canyon High alumnus started on a positive note by making four consecutive pars before hitting a rough five-hole stretch, which included three bogeys, a double-bogey and a par. Sitting at 5-over after the turn, Goldberg recovered nicely with five pars and a birdie over his last six holes.
Rounding out the day was senior Chad Moscovic (Stockton, Calif.), who opened with consecutive birdies, but was undone by three bogeys and a trio of double-bogeys en route to a 6-over figure through 17 holes.
Saturday's final round will begin with tee times starting at 11 a.m. (EDT). Pairings with the revised tee times will be distributed at the conclusion of the third round.
NCAA Championships At West Lafayette, Ind. Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex - Kampen Course 7,450 yards, par 72 (Third round completed unless indicated)
Current Team Standings (Top 15)1. UCLA 297-293-298 - 888 (+24)T2. USC 297-294-300 - 891 (+27)T2. Clemson 301-288-302 - 891 (+27)4. Stanford 309-288-296 - 893 (+29)5. Oklahoma State 298-296-301 - 895 (+31)6. Florida 302-291-306 - 899 (+35)7. Kent State 301-297-302 - 900 (+36)8. Georgia 303-293-305 - 901 (+37)9. Washington 305-290-307 - 902 (+38)T10. Louisville (+39 through holes 15-17)T10. Alabama 309-297-297 - 903 (+39)12. San Diego State (+40 through holes 13-17)13. Charlotte 306-295-306 - 907 (+43)T14. Auburn (+45 through holes 15-17)T14. Texas A&M 309-294-306 - 909 (+45)
Current Individual Leaders (Top 5 + SDSU)1. Kevin Chappell, UCLA 69-73-68 - 210 (-6)T2. Kyle Stanley, Clemson 72-68-74 - 214 (-2)T2. Nick Taylor, Washington 75-66-73 - 214 (-2)4. Billy Horschel, Florida 72-67-76 - 215 (-1)5. Tim Sluiter, USC 70-73-73 - 216 (E)T9. David Palm, SDSU (+4 through 14 holes)T27. Johan Carlsson, SDSU (+9 through 13 holes)T71. Matt Hoffenberg, SDSU (+14 through 16 holes)T112. Aaron Goldberg, SDSU (+19 through 15 holes)T138. Chad Moscovic, SDSU (+25 through 17 holes)