TUCSON, Ariz. -- The San Diego State men's golf team is in seventh place after the first day of the suspended National Invitational Tournament Saturday at the par-72, 7,167-yard Omni Tucson National in Tucson, Ariz. All five scorers for the Aztecs completed their two rounds today before darkness fell.
SDSU, ranked 41st in the latest Golfstat rankings, was one of eight teams to finish its 36 holes and is in seventh at 16-under-par 560 following matching 8-under 280s. No. 8 Oklahoma State leads the 18-team field at 29-under 547, while No. 2 Oklahoma (-26), No. 37 New Mexico (-23), No. 4 Illinois (-22) and No. 17 Arizona (-21) round out the top 5. No. 6 Texas (-17), and USC (-5) have also completed its two rounds as each of the 10 teams yet to finish are more than 11 strokes behind the Aztecs.
Steve Sugimoto leads SDSU after two rounds at 6-under 138, good enough for a tie for 12th-place out of 104 players. Sugimoto carded a 2-under 70 in the opening round and was two shots better at 4-under 68 in his second 18 to beat the dark. Sugimoto had four birdies and two bogeys in the first round, and five birdies and just one bogey in the second round. All nine birdies on the day for Sugimoto came on different holes.
Puwit Anupansuebsai, meanwhile, is one shot behind Sugimoto at 5-under 139 following rounds of 4-under 68 and 1-under 71, and is tied for 18th. Anupansuebsai recorded six birdies in each round, including both rounds on three par-5 holes - 535-yard second hole, 587-yard eighth and 610-yard 15th. He also had three bogeys and pair of double bogeys.
Callum Bruce is tied for 23rd at 3-under 141, overcoming a 1-over 73 in the opening round with a 4-under 68 in the second round. After a first round that saw his three birdies offset by four bogeys, Bruce had a remarkable seven birdies in the second 18, including four straight with a par to close out his round (holes 5, 6, 7 and 8). Bruce also had three bogeys in the second round but shot a 4-under 32 in his back nine.
Zihao Jin and Joey Moore are each tied for 45th. Jin completed his two rounds (3-under 69 and 3-over 75) and is at even-par 144. Jin closed his first round with three birdies on the back nine. Competing as an individual, Moore is also at even par through 32 holes, shooting an even-par 72 in the first round and staying that way through 14 holes in the second round.
Youssef Guezzale also competed for San Diego State and is tied for 74th at 3-over 147 after a 74 and 73.
Moore will resume his second round at 7 a.m. PT Sunday while the rest of the Aztecs are tentatively set for an 8 a.m. PT start for the final round.
National Invitational Tournament
Tucson, Ariz.
Round Two Results (completed unless otherwise noted)
Omni Tucson National
Par 72, 7,167 yards
Team Standings (Top 7 of 18 teams + SDSU) (rankings are Golfstat)
1. No. 8 Oklahoma State…275-272—547 (-29)
2. No. 2 Oklahoma…274-276—550 (-26)
3. No. 37 New Mexico…277-276—553 (-23)
4. No. 4 Illinois…277-277—554 (-22)
5. No. 17 Arizona…277-278—555 (-21)
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7. No. 41 San Diego State…280-280—560 (-16)
Individual Leaders (Top 5 of 104 players + SDSU)
1. Adrien Dumont de Chassart (Illinois)…68-65—133 (-11)
2. Brandon Shong (New Mexico)…67-67—134 (-10)
T3. Sam Choi (New Mexico)…68-67—135 (-9)
T3. Brad Reeves (Arizona)…68-67—135 (-9)
T3. Garret Reband (Oklahoma)…67-68—135 (-9)
T3. Austin Eckroat (Oklahoma State)…66-69—135 (-9)
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T12. Steve Sugimoto (San Diego State)…70-68—138 (-6)
T18. Puwit Anupansuebsai (San Diego State)…68-71—139 (-5)
T23. Callum Bruce (San Diego State)…73-68—141 (-3)
T45. Zihao Jin (San Diego State)…69-75—144 (E)
T45. Joey Moore^ (San Diego State)…72-(E through 14)—n/a (E)
T74. Youssef Guezzale (San Diego State)…74-73—147 (+3)
^ competing as an individual
Men’s Golf in Seventh after Day 1 of N.I.T.
