NORMAN, Okla. -- The San Diego State men's golf team struggled down the stretch on the first day of the NCAA Norman Regional on Monday, settling for a 2-over-par 290 on the par-72, 7,452-yard Jimmy Austin OU Golf Club. The 2-over 290 has the Aztecs in seventh place in the 13-team regional.
Host and No. 1 overall seed Oklahoma leads the way after the first round at 11-under 277, while No. 24 South Carolina (-10), No. 18 Auburn (-8), No. 50 Utah (-8) and No. 7 Texas (-6) round out the top 5. No. 25 Ole Miss is sixth at 1-under, three shots ahead of SDSU.
The top-five squads and lowest individual not on those teams from each regional will advance to the NCAA Championships, slated for May 27-June 1, at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.
San Diego State was 2-under through 14 holes but combined for 10 bogeys and just two birdies over the final four holes.
Puwit Anupansuebsai (Nakhon Phanom, Thailand) carded a 2-under 70 to pace the Aztecs and is in a seven-way tie for 11th out of 75 golfers. The four-time all-Mountain West performer recorded six birdies on the round, including a three-hole stretch on No. 11 (par-4, 445 yards), No. 12 (par-3, 190 yards) and No. 13 (par-5, 594 yards) to get to 3-under. Consecutive bogeys on the par-3, 260-yard 15th and the par-4, 425-yard 16th halted his momentum, but Anupansuebsai finished with a birdie on the par-5, 586-yard 18th to sign for a 70.
Steve Sugimoto (San Diego/Rancho Bernardo HS) battled for an even-par 72 and is tied for 23rd. Sugimoto finished his front nine at 1-over 37 with a wild final five holes, which included two birdies (par-5, 627-yard fifth and par-5, 600-yard eighth), one bogey (par-3, 182-yard sixth), one par (par-4, 435-yard seventh) and one double bogey (par-4, 435-yard ninth). He rebounded in the back nine with two birdies (No. 13 and No. 16) and a lone bogey (No. 15) to finish at even par.
Youssef Guezzale (San Diego/La Jolla HS) is tied for 30th at 1-over 73. Guezzale was at 3-under and bogey-free through his first 11 holes, sinking birdies on the par-4, 447-yard fourth, No. 8 and No. 11, but bogeyed four of the next five holes before righting the ship with back-to-back pars on the par-4, 485-yard 17th and No. 18 for a 73.
Justin Hastings (Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands) shot a 3-over 75 and is tied for 45th. Hastings logged four birdies in the round (par-4, 331-yard third, No. 8, par-4, 322-yard 10th and par-4, 443-yard 14th) but also five bogeys and a double bogey on the fifth.
Zihao Jin (Beijing/Rancho Bernardo HS) will look to bounce back tomorrow after shooting a 5-over 77 today, which is tied for 61st. Jin was unable to notch a birdie in the first round and had five bogeys, including each of the final three holes.
J.M. Butler (Auburn) and Gene Zeigler (South Carolina) top the field at 6-under 66.
San Diego State will tee off with No. 37 Missouri and UT Martin from the first hole, beginning at 8:55 a.m. CT (6:55 a.m. PT).
NCAA Norman Regional
Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club - Norman, Okla.
Par 72, 7,452 yards
May 16-18, 2022
Day One Results (Round 1)
Team Standings (Top 5 of 13 + SDSU)
1. No. 1 Oklahoma…277 (-11)
2. No. 24 South Carolina…278 (-10)
T3. No. 18 Auburn…280 (-8)
T3. No. 50 Utah…280 (-8)
5. No. 7 Texas…282 (-6)
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7. No. 48 San Diego State…290 (+2)
Individual Leaders (Top 10 of 75 players + SDSU)
T1. J.M. Butler (Auburn)…66 (-6)
T1. Gene Zeigler (South Carolina)…66 (-6)
T3. Travis Vick (Texas)…67 (-5)
T3. Drew Goodman (Oklahoma)…67 (-5)
T5. Blake Tomlinson (Utah)…69 (-3)
T5. Javier Barcos (Utah)…69 (-3)
T5. Tristan Mandur (Utah)…69 (-3)
T5. Patrick Welch (Oklahoma)…69 (-3)
T5. Brendan Valdes (Auburn)…69 (-3)
T5. Johnny Keefer (Baylor)…69 (-3)
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T11. Puwit Anupansuebsai (San Diego State)…70 (-2)
T23. Steve Sugimoto (San Diego State)…72 (E)
T30. Youssef Guezzale (San Diego State)…73 (+1)
T45. Justin Hastings (San Diego State)…75 (+3)
T61. Zihao Jin (San Diego State)…77 (+5)
SDSU in Seventh after First Day of NCAA Norman Regional
