SDSU MEN'S GOLF WINS SECOND STRAIGHT MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPIONSHIP

Freshman Dylan Oyama captures medalist honors

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

April 30, 2023 (Tucson) - The San Diego State men’s golf team won its second straight Mountain West Championship, shattering the tournament record with a 60-under-par 804 Sunday at the par-72, 7,194-yard OMNI Tucson National in Tucson, Arizona. Freshman Dylan Oyama (Carlsbad, Calif./Pacific Ridge HS) captured medalist honors at 19-under 197 after beating Colorado State’s Christoph Bleier in a playoff and the Aztecs had four of the top-7 overall finishers.

SDSU fired a 28-under 260 in Sunday’s final round to finish at 60-under overall, breaking New Mexico’s previous record of 33-under set at the 2019 MW Championship. San Diego State (-60) beat runner-up New Mexico by 25 strokes, the largest margin from first to second in league championship history. The 260 today was also the lowest round in MW Championship history by nine strokes (New Mexico, 269 in third round of the 2021 event). UNLV was third at -34, while No. 23 Colorado State (-29) and Wyoming (-25) rounded out the top 5.

Both the 804 and the 260 were the lowest 54-hole score and 18-hole score, respectively, in Aztec recorded history, beating past bests of 806 and 261.

It was the fifth Mountain West title for SDSU, all under head coach Ryan Donovan. San Diego State has now won the MW Championship in 2011, 2012, 2015, 2022 and 2023. It was also the third tournament title of the season for the Aztecs, who are 30th in the latest GolfStat computer ratings.

Oyama, meanwhile, blitzed the Catalina Course with a 10-under 62. The 62 was the lowest score in MW Championship history and tied for the lowest in SDSU recorded history. Oyama opened with five consecutive birdies and bogeyed the par-3, 247-yard seventh hole, making the turn at -4. He then eagled the par-5, 511-yard 10th, and birdied the 11th (par-4, 430 yards), 12th (par-3, 183 yards), 14th (par-4, 404 yards) and 15th (par-5, 610 yards) before parring out to finish. Facing Colorado State’s Christoph Bleier, who shot a final-round 63 of his own, in a playoff, Oyama parred the par-4, 470-yard 18th, while Bleier bogeyed it, giving Oyama his first collegiate victory.

Oyama and Bleier’s 19-under 197 set a 54-hole championship record by three strokes. The 197 matched Alex Kang (2010 Alister MacKenzie Invitational) for the lowest 54-hole score in San Diego State recorded history. Oyama, whose previous best finish was a T8 at the Wolf Pack Invitational in October, became the third Aztec to win the MW Championship, joining John Lepak in 2001 and Puwit Anupansuebsai in 2021. Oyama had the most birdies (21) in the tournament and also led the field in par-4 scoring (-9).

Sophomores Justin Hastings (Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands) and Shea Lague (Jamul, Calif./Steele Canyon HS) tied for fourth at 14-under 202. Hastings carded a final-round 66 today with an eagle on No. 10, four birdies and no bogeys. The 202 was the lowest 54-hole score of his career. Lague shot a 67 for the second straight day, recording five birdies in a bogey-free round.

Senior Youssef Guezzale (San Diego/La Jolla HS) logged a 7-under 65 today and finished in a tie for sixth at 13-under 203. Guezzale had seven birdies and no bogeys on Sunday.

Freshman Tyler Kowack (Del Mar, Calif./La Jolla HS) shot his second straight even-par 72 and tied for 27th at 1-under 215.

The Aztecs, who earned the conference’s automatic bid into the NCAA Regional with the victory, will find out its regional destination at 10 a.m. on Wednesday on the Golf Channel. The regional hosts include Auburn (Auburn University Club), Clemson (The Cliffs at Keowee Falls), Michigan State (Eagle Eye Golf Club), Oklahoma (Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club), San Jose State (The Institute Golf Club) and UNLV (Bear’s Best Las Vegas).

2023 Mountain West Championship

Day Three Results (April 30, 2023)

Tucson, Ariz.

OMNI Tucson National (Catalina Course)

Par 72, 7,194 yards

Team Standings

1. No. 30 San Diego State…272-272-260—804 (-60)

2. New Mexico…278-275-276—829 (-35)

3. UNLV…274-281-275—830 (-34)

4. No. 23 Colorado State…284-273-278—835 (-29)

5. Wyoming…280-282-277—839 (-25)

6. San Jose State…279-283-280—842 (-22)

7. Fresno State…278-290-280—848 (-16)

8. Boise State…288-290-286—864 (E)

9. Nevada…292-292-289—873 (+9)

10. Utah State…302-294-285—881 (+17)

11. Air Force…290-294-300—884 (+20)

Individual Leaders (Top 5) of 55 players + SDSU)

*T1. Dylan Oyama (San Diego State)…67-68-62—197 (-19)

T1. Christoph Bleier (Colorado State)…67-67-63—197 (-19)

3. Caden Fioroni (UNLV)…66-69-66—201 (-15)

T4. Justin Hastings (San Diego State)…71-65-66—202 (-14)

T4. Shea Lague (San Diego State)…68-67-67—202 (-14)

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T6. Youssef Guezzale (San Diego State)…66-72-65—203 (-13)

T27. Tyler Kowack (San Diego State)…71-72-72—215 (-1)

* won on first playoff hole (No. 18) with a par

Complete results