April 27, 2014
Final Results in PDF Format | MW Championship Page
TUCSON, Ariz. - Despite a late lead, the San Diego State men's golf team came up short in its quest for a conference title on Sunday, finishing in second place following the final round of the 2014 Mountain West Championship at OMNI Tucson National Golf Club. The Aztecs also experienced disappointment on the individual leaderboard after Riccardo Michelini (Carpi, Italy) fell to New Mexico's Gavin Green on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff for medalist honors at the par-71, 7,144-yard Catalina Course.
SDSU, which trailed UNM by nine strokes entering the day, catapulted in front by three shots on the back nine, only to see the Lobos reclaim the lead with the help of three birdies over the final four holes. Despite posting their lowest collective 18-hole total of the weekend with a 4-under 280, the Aztecs wound up in the runner-up spot for the second straight year after finishing the tournament with a combined 3-under 849, three strokes behind UNM (-6).
UNLV, which recorded the lowest team score of the weekend with a 276 on Sunday, landed in the third position two strokes behind SDSU with a 1-under 851, while Air Force (+9) and Colorado State (+22) rounded out the top five.
Individually, Michelini became the first Aztec to finish atop the leaderboard in regulation at the MW Championship since Adam Porzak in 2007, after posting a 1-under 70 during the final round on Sunday. The SDSU sophomore took the lead after carding an eagle on the par-5, 511-yard 10th hole, followed by a birdie at the par-4 No. 11 to get to 3-under for the day. Despite a bogey at No. 14, Michelini still owned a one-shot advantage over Green as both players notched pars on holes 15-17.
However, the Lobo adversary forced a playoff after making another crucial par on the 18th, while Michelini settled for a bogey. The two players returned to the same fairway for sudden death, where Green claimed the title after each posted identical marks as in regulation. Despite the stumble, Michelini logged his highest career finish, completing the tournament with a 4-under 209, which is tied for the fourth-best 54-hole score ever by an SDSU player at a conference championship.
The Aztecs' best round of the day belonged to Xander Schauffele (San Diego, Calif.), who tied for the low round of the tournament with a 66 on Sunday. The SDSU junior played exceptional bogey-free golf, draining five birdies, including four on the back nine, to vault 14 places into a tie for fifth at 1-under 212. With his strong performance, Schauffele logged the Aztecs' third-lowest score over 18 holes in MW Championship history en route to his fifth top-five showing of the season.
In addition, Nahum Mendoza III (San Diego, Calif.) became the third SDSU player to crack the top 10 at the event, tying for that said position at 2-over 213 after firing a final-round 73. The Francis Parker High alumnus, who led the field with 42 pars on the weekend, made 14 on Sunday, along with a birdie on the par-3 No. 4, which played as the fifth-toughest hole of the third round. However, three bogeys, including a pair at Nos. 16 and 18 cast a damper on his round. Nevertheless, Mendoza still completed the event with the lowest total of all freshmen in the tournament.
Meanwhile, James Holley (Chatsworth, Calif.) recorded a 73 as well on Sunday to finish in a tie for 15th at 4-over 217. The Aztec junior posted identical marks as Mendoza with 14 pars, along with a birdie on the expansive par-5, 610-yard No. 15. However, Holley slid five spots on individual leaderboard as a trio of bogeys, including one on No. 18, also proved too much to overcome.
Rounding out the SDSU lineup was freshman Ricky DeSantis (Carlsbad, Calif.), who rebounded with a vengeance after suffering an 84 on Saturday. The Carlsbad High product managed to climb seven places into a tie for 38th at 12-over 225 following a final-round 71. DeSantis was 2-under through 14 holes, thanks in part to three birdies on the front nine. However, untimely bogeys at No. 15 and No. 18 thwarted any further advance.
The Aztecs, who are ranked 37th in the latest Golfstat ratings, will now await word of a possible 16th consecutive regional berth when invitations are announced Monday, May 5, by the NCAA selection committee.
2014 Mountain West Men's Golf ChampionshipOMNI Tucson National G.C.Catalina CourseTucson, Ariz.Par 71, 7,144 yardsFinal Results
Team Scores1. New Mexico 279-281-286--846 (-6)2. San Diego State 281-288-280--849 (-3)3. UNLV 280-295-276--851 (-1)4. Air Force 287-295-279--861 (+9)5. Colorado State 292-294-288--874 (+22)6. Nevada 296-290-292--878 (+26)7. San José State 292-308-283--883 (+31)8. Wyoming 290-303-291--884 (+32)9. Utah State 298-295-292--885 (+33)10. Fresno State 307-299-297--903 (+51)11. Boise State 293-306-305--904 (+52)---Individual Scores (Top 6 of 55 players + SDSU)T1. Gavin Green, New Mexico* 70-69-70--209 (-4)T1. Riccardo Michelini, SDSU 68-71-70--209 (-4)3. Carl Jonson, UNLV 66-76-68--210 (-3)4. Kyle Westmoreland, Air Force 70-70-71--211 (-2)T5. Xander Schauffele, SDSU 71-75-66--212 (-1)T5. Victor Perez, New Mexico 70-69-73--212 (-1)----T10. Nahum Mendoza III, SDSU 72-70-73--215 (+2)T15. James Holley, SDSU 72-72-73--217 (+4)T38. Ricky DeSantis, SDSU 70-84-71--225 (+12)
* - captured medalist honors on first playoff hole