LAS VEGAS -- The San Diego State men's golf team finished in sixth place out of 15 teams in one of the toughest fields in the country this season at the Southern Highlands Collegiate Tuesday in Las Vegas. The Aztecs shot a 3-over-par 291 in the final round on the par-72, 7,510-yard Southern Highlands Golf Club and finished at 7-over 871 for the tournament.
SDSU, which is 35th in the latest NCAA computer rankings, was seeded 13th in the 15-team field heading into the tournament, but only finished behind No. 15 Oklahoma (-8), No. 2 Auburn (-5), No. 21 Texas (+2), No. 23 Florida (+4) and No. 17 Illinois (+5). San Diego State finished ahead of No. 1 North Carolina (+8), No. 34 Missouri (+11), No. 16 New Mexico (+12), No. 29 Georgia (+14), No. 30 Texas A&M (+14), Pepperdine (+15), host UNLV (+17), No. 4 Arizona State (+18) and TCU (+30).
Junior Shea Lague (Jamul, Calif./Steele Canyon HS) paced the Aztecs with a second straight even-par 72, finishing in a tie for ninth at 2-under 214 out of 75 golfers. Lague had four birdies and four bogeys for his second top-10 of the 2023-24 season.
Sophomore Tyler Kowack (Del Mar, Calif./La Jolla HS) was the only other SDSU player under par in tough conditions, tying for 12th at 1-under 215 following a 2-over 74 today. Kowack sank five birdies on Tuesday, but also had five bogeys and a double bogey on the par-3 eighth hole. It was Kowack's fourth top-12 finish over his last five tournaments.
Sophomore Chanachon Chokprajakchat (Bangkok, Thailand) tied for 21st at +2 with an even-par 72 in today's final round. Chokprajakchat notched five birdies against five bogeys.
Junior Justin Hastings (Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands) rebounded from his 81 yesterday with a 1-over 73 Tuesday, finishing in a tie for 56th at +8. Hastings opened with a 33 on the front nine but shot a 40 on the back nine to settle for a 73.
Junior Jack Townsend (San Diego/Charter School of San Diego), who was disqualified from the tournament after carding a 4-over 76 on Monday, shot a 77 today.
Florida's Ian Gilligan captured medalist honors at 8-under 208, one shot ahead of Oklahoma's Jase Summy (-7) and two shots clear of Auburn's Brandon Valdes (-6).
The Aztecs will play host to their lone tournament of the season with the San Diego Classic, March 4-5 at San Diego Country Club in Chula Vista, California.
Southern Highlands Collegiate
Southern Highlands G.C. - Las Vegas, Nev.
Par 72, 7,510 yards
Day Three Results (Feb. 27, 2024)
Team Standings (top 5 of 15 + SDSU)
1. No. 15 Oklahoma…284-291-281—856 (-8)
2. No. 2 Auburn…287-295-277—859 (-5)
3. No. 21 Texas…284-295-287—866 (+2)
4. No. 23 Florida…278-301-289—868 (+4)
5. No. 17 Illinois…280-302-287—869 (+5)
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6. No. 35 San Diego State…282-298-291—871 (+7)
Individual Leaders (Top 5 of 75 players + SDSU)
1. Ian Gilligan (Florida)…67-71-70—208 (-8)
2. Jase Summy (Oklahoma)…71-72-66—209 (-7)
3. Brandon Valdes (Auburn)…72-71-67—210 (-6)
T4. Jackson Koivun (Auburn)…70-70-71—211 (-3)
T4. Jack Lundin (Missouri)…66-70-75—211 (-3)
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T9. Shea Lague (San Diego State)…70-72-72—214 (-2)
T12. Tyler Kowack (San Diego State)…71-70-74—215 (-1)
T21. Chanachon Chokprajakchat (San Diego State)…71-75-72—218 (+2)
T56. Justin Hastings (San Diego State)…70-81-73—224 (+8)
DQ. Jack Townsend (San Diego State)…81-DQ-77—DQ
Aztecs Take Sixth at Southern Highlands Collegiate
