SDSU MEN'S GOLF TIED FOR SIXTH AFTER ROUND ONE AT NCAA REGIONALS

Aztecs’ PJ Samiere, Gunn Yang tied for 14th individually

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo:  PJ Samiere shot a 71 on Monday during the opening round of the NCAA Washington Regional.  Courtesy goaztecs.com

May 15, 2017 (Sammamish, Wash.) - The San Diego State men’s golf team remains in a tie for sixth place at the NCAA Washington Regional, along with Penn State, after shooting a collective 6-over-par 290 on Monday during the opening round at Aldarra Golf Club. 

With their total, the Aztecs find themselves just three shots behind Kent State (+3) and Texas A&M (+3), which are tied for fourth heading into Tuesday’s second round on the par-71, 6,885-yard layout. Following three rounds of regional play in suburban Seattle, the top five teams will advance into the NCAA championship series, set for May 26-31 in Sugar Grove, Ill.

Florida State vaulted to the top of the team standings after firing a combined 6-under 278 on Tuesday, while USC (-4) occupies the second spot, following by third-place Alabama (-1).

Three of SDSU’s starters carded four birdies apiece, including PJ Samiere (Kailua, Hawaii), who finished the day in a tie for 14th on the individual leaderboard, along with teammate Gunn Yang (Pyeongchang, South Korea) after each shot an even-par 71.

Following a pair of birdies at the par-3 second and the par-4 fourth, Samiere weathered a stretch of three consecutive bogeys before completing the front nine with a par and an additional birdie. The Aztec junior played steady golf the rest of the way, notching seven pars against one bogey to go with another impressive conversion on the par-4, 434-yard 14th.

Yang, meanwhile, offset a trio of bogeys with three birdies of his own while recording 12 pars, including four straight to close off his round.

Elsewhere, Nahum Mendoza III (San Diego, Calif.) and Trevor Norby (Carlsbad, Calif.) find themselves tied for 38th after both players logged an opening-round 74.

Mendoza posted three of his four birdies on the back nine, including a successful drain on the par-4, 340-yard No. 17, to counter three previous bogeys. However, double-bogeys at the par-4 No. 1 and the par-5 11th prevented a loftier perch for the SDSU senior.

On the other hand, Norby eased the sting of a double-bogey on the par-5 third and a bogey at the par-5 No. 7 with four birdies, including back-to-back conversions on the 11th and 12th greens. After making par at No. 13, however, the Aztec redshirt freshman had his momentum derailed by four consecutive bogeys.

The SDSU contingent also featured Blake Abercrombie (Rocklin, Calif.), who completed the first 18 holes in a tie for 52nd after shooting a 76. The Aztec junior suffered the misfortune of a triple-bogey on the first hole as well as a double at No. 7, but still recorded a team-high 14 pars to go with a birdie on the par-3 ninth.

USC’s Sean Crocker grabbed the individual lead after carding a 64 on Monday, while Florida State’s Josh Lee (-4) remains three shots off the pace in second, followed by Michigan’s Nick Carlson, USC’s Justin Suh and Alabama’s Steven Setterstrom, who find themselves knotted for third at 3-under.

In all, just 13 golfers in the 75-player field broke par in the opening round, with 74.15 representing the average score for the day.

The NCAA Washington Regional continues on Tuesday when San Diego State tees off alongside Kent State and Florida State for the second round beginning at 9:15 a.m. PT on hole 1.

2017 NCAA Washington Regional

Round One Results

Aldarra Golf Club

Sammamish, Wash.

Par 71, 6,885 yards

Team Scores

(Top 5 advance to NCAA Championships after third round)

1. Florida State                   278 (-6)

2. USC                                  280 (-4)

3. Alabama                          283 (-1)

T4. Kent State                     287 (+3)

T4. Texas A&M                   287 (+3)

T6.  San Diego State           290 (+6)

T6. Penn State                    290 (+6)

8. Marquette                      291 (+7)

9. Michigan                         292 (+8)

10. Washington                  295 (+11)

11. UTEP                              297 (+13)

12. Michigan State             300 (+16)

13. Seattle                           305 (+21)

14. Bryant                            313 (+29)            

Individual Leaders (Top 5 of 75 players + SDSU)        

1. Sean Crocker, USC                                        64 (-7)

2. Josh Lee, Florida State                                 67 (-4)

T3. Nick Carlson, Michigan                              68 (-3)

T3. Justin Suh, USC                                           68 (-3)

T3. Steven Setterstrom, Alabama                   68 (-3)

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T14. PJ Samiere, SDSU                                    71 (E)

T14. Gunn Yang, SDSU                                     71 (E)

T38. Nahum Mendoza III, SDSU                     74 (+3)

T38. Trevor Norby, SDSU                                74 (+3)

T52. Blake Abercrombie, SDSU                      76 (+5)

Day one results