BREMERTON, Wash. -- The San Diego State men's golf team put together an incredible rally on the back nine to storm past Colorado State and claim the 2022 Mountain West Championship Sunday at the par-72, 7,115-yard Olympic Course at Gold Mountain Club. It was the fourth MW title for the Aztecs since 2011.
SDSU, which entered the week 50th in the latest GolfStat rankings, shot a 2-under 286 in Sunday's final round to finish the tournament at 22-under 842, four shots clear of the Rams (-18) in second. No. 34 Nevada (-10), Boise State (-8) and No. 33 New Mexico (-3) rounded out the top 5.
Early on in Sunday's round, however, it looked like San Diego State would be playing for second. The Aztecs, who started two shots back from CSU, had two bogeys and a double bogey on the opening par-4, 460-yard first hole, and were at 5-over-par through the first nine and at 6-over through 10 holes. Colorado State, meanwhile, made the turn at 1-over and led SDSU by six strokes.
San Diego State's counting four - seniors Youssef Guezzale (San Diego/La Jolla HS), Zihao Jin (Beijing/Rancho Bernardo HS), Steve Sugimoto (San Diego/Rancho Bernardo HS) and Puwit Anupansuebsai (Nakhon Phanom, Thailand) - came roaring back, going 8-under over the final eight holes, while the Rams' counting four shot even-par over the final eight holes.
The 842 was the third-lowest team score for the Aztecs in a MW Championship and 31 strokes better what SDSU shot at the Husky Invitational (873) on the same course from Sept. 20-21. San Diego State's other MW titles came in 2011, 2012 and 2015.
The Aztecs now have two team titles this year, both over the past three tournaments (also April 4-5 at the Wyoming Cowboy Classic).
Guezzale and Jin each tied for third in the 55-man field at 8-under 208. Guezzale grinded out an even-par 72 today after bogeying three of his first five holes. He rebounded with birdies on the par-5, 617-yard ninth, the par-3, 184-yard 16th and the par-4, 461-yard 17th, before recording a par on the par-4, 324-yard 18th to clinch SDSU's comeback victory.
Jin, meanwhile, made the turn at 3-over with no birdies, a double bogey on the first and a bogey on the ninth. Following three consecutive pars to start his back nine, Jin birdied five of the final six holes, including the par-4, 444-yard 13th, par-5, 513-yard 14th, the par-4, 355-yard 15th and the final two holes.
Colorado State's Connor Jones captured medalist honors at 10-under 206, while Boise State's Hugo Townsend bettered Guezzale and Jin by a stroke.
Sugimoto shot a 2-over 74 today and finished tied for 12th at 3-under 213. Sugimoto birdied both of the par 5s on the back nine but also had two bogeys in his round and a double bogey on the 15th.
The defending MW champion, Anupansuebsai tied for 15th at 2-under 214 with a 2-under 70 today. The three-time all-league pick had four birdies on the day - par-3, 202-yard eighth, the par-5, 549-yard 11th, No. 14 and No. 16 - and a pair of bogeys.
Freshman Justin Hastings (Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands) logged a 7-over 79 and tied for 38th in his first MW Championship. Hastings managed only one birdie in the round, which came on the 14th, while also recording two bogeys and three double bogeys.
San Diego State will find out its destination for the NCAA Regionals on Wednesday, which GOLF Channel will announce at 1 p.m. PT.
The six regional host sites include Traditions Club in Bryan, Texas (Texas A&M, host); OSU Golf Club – Scarlet Course in Columbus, Ohio (Ohio State, host); Yale Golf Course in New Haven, Connecticut (Yale, host); PGA National Resort - Champions Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida (Florida Atlantic, host); The Reserve at Spanos Park in Stockton, California (Pacific, host) and the Jimmie Austin Golf Club (Oklahoma, host), with play taking place May 16-18. The top five teams (30 teams total) and the low individual not on an advancing team (six individuals total) from each regional site will advance to play in the championships at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona on May 27-June 1.
Mountain West Championship
Gold Mountain Golf Club (Olympic Course) - Bremerton, Wash.
Par 72, 7,115 yards
April 29-May 1, 2022
Day Three Results (Round 3
Team Standings (Top 5 of 11)
1. No. 50 San Diego State…283-273-286—842 (-22)
2. Colorado State…280-274-292—846 (-18)
3. No. 34 Nevada…288-279-287—854 (-10)
4. Boise State…282-289-285—856 (-8)
5. No. 33 New Mexico…300-285-276—861 (-3)
Individual Leaders (Top 5 of 55 players + SDSU)
1. Connor Jones (Colorado State)…67-66-73—206 (-10)
2. Hugo Townsend (Boise State)…70-70-67—207 (-9)
T3. Youssef Guezzale (San Diego State)…70-66-72—208 (-8)
T3. Zihao Jin (San Diego State)…70-68-70—208 (-8)
T3. Sam Choi (New Mexico)…73-70-65—208 (-8)
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T12. Steve Sugimoto (San Diego State)…71-68-74—213 (-3)
T15. Puwit Anupansuebsai (San Diego State)…73-71-70—214 (-2)
T38. Justin Hastings (San Diego State)…72-74-79—225 (+9)
Aztecs Claim 2022 Mountain West Championship
