TUCSON, Ariz. -- The San Diego State men's golf team is in second place, just one shot out of first, after two rounds of the Mountain West Championship Friday on the par-72, 7,194-yard OMNI Tucson National Golf Club.
After a gusty 36 holes, the Aztecs are at 5-under-par 571 following rounds of 4-under 284 and 1-under 287. Boise State is one shot ahead of SDSU at 6-under 570, while UNLV (-3), Nevada (-2) and New Mexico (E) round out a bunched up top 5. Colorado State sits in sixth at 6-over, while San José State (+11), Fresno State (+12), Wyoming (+13), Utah State (+28) and Air Force (+35) also are entered in the championship.
Individually, Steve Sugimoto is in solo fifth place at 3-under 141 following rounds of even-par 72 and 3-under 69. Sugimoto had four birdies through his first 12 holes, including back-to-back ones on the par-5, 535-yard second and par-4, 375-yard third, and later on the par-5, 511-yard 10th and the par-3, 183-yard 12th. A double bogey on the par-3, 247-yard seventh, and bogeys on the par-4, 404-yard 13th and par-3, 186-yard 17th evened out his first round. In the second round, Sugimoto fired a bogey-free 69, recording birdies on the second, par-4, 425-yard sixth and the 10th for a 69. Through two rounds, he is tied for second in the 55-player field in par-4 scoring average (3.95).
UNLV's Jack Trent paces the field at 6-under 138, while Boise State's Hugo Townsend (-5), Nevada's Sam Meek (-4), Colorado State's Davis Bryant (-4) and Sugimoto round out the top 5.
Youssef Guezzale, meanwhile, also had a strong day for San Diego State and is in a three-way tie for sixth at 2-under 142. Guezzale opened with a 4-under 68 for the best first round of the day, thanks to five birdies - No. 2, No. 3, No. 8 (par-5, 587 yards), No. 10 and No. 17 - and just one bogey on the par-4, 398-yard fifth. Guezzale slipped a little bit in the second round with a 2-over 72, doomed by a double-bogey on No. 7, and offsetting birdies on the par-4, 170-yard fourth, No. 10 and the par-5, 610-yard 15th, with bogeys on the par-4, 425-yard sixth, No. 12 and the par-4, 404-yard 14th.
Puwit Anupansuebsai is the third Aztec in the top 10 in a tie for ninth at 1-under 143. The reigning MW Golfer of the Year carded an even-par 72 in the first round, thanks to an eagle on No. 2 and three birdies - No. 5, No. 10 and No. 15 - sandwiched against five bogeys. He was one shot better in the second round at 1-under 71, posting three birdies - par-4, 436-yard ninth, No. 10 and No. 13 - two bogeys - No. 7 and No. 14 - and 13 pars.
Callum Bruce is just 1-over-par and in a tie for 16th after rounds of 72 and 73. In the even-par 72, Bruce had birdies on No. 2 and No. 12, and bogeys on No. 3 and the par-4, 428-yard 16th. In the second round, he bounced back from a bogey on the par-4, 395-yard first hole with a birdie on No. 2, and then had 14 consecutive pars. A bogey on No. 17 dropped him back to 1-over and a par on the par-4, 470-yard 18th sealed his 73.
Zihao Jin will look to move up the leaderboard on Saturday following rounds of 75 and 76 today. Jin is tied for 40th at 7-over 151.
San Diego State will tee off in Saturday's final round at 9:40 a.m. PT with Boise State and UNLV.
Mountain West Championship
Tucson, Ariz.
Day One Results
OMNI Tucson National
Par 72, 7,194 yards
Team Standings (Top 5 of 11 teams (rankings are Golfstat))
1. No. 46 Boise State…280-290—570 (-6)
2. No. 26 San Diego State…284-287—571 (-5)
3. UNLV…289-284—573 (-3)
4. Nevada…292-282—574 (-2)
5. No. 28 New Mexico…290-286—576 (E)
Individual Leaders (Top 5 of 55 players + SDSU)
1. Jack Trent (UNLV)…69-69—138 (-6)
2. Hugo Townsend (Boise State)…69-70—139 (-5)
T3. Sam Meek (Nevada)…73-67—140 (-4)
T3. Davis Bryant (Colorado State)…71-69—140 (-4)
5. Steve Sugimoto (San Diego State)…72-69—141 (-3)
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T6. Youssef Guezzale (San Diego State)…68-74—142 (-2)
T9. Puwit Anupansuebsai (San Diego State)…72-71—143 (-1)
T16. Callum Bruce (San Diego State)…72-73—145 (+1)
T40. Zihao Jin (San Diego State)…75-76—151 (+7)
M. Golf in Second at MW Championship after Day One
