SDSU MEN'S GOLF COMPLETES DAY ONE AT SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS COLLEGIATE

Aztecs to tee off for round two on Tuesday at 10:20 a.m.

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo:  PJ Samiere led the Aztecs with a 74 during the opening round of the Southern Highlands Collegiate.  Courtesy goaztecs.com

March 6, 2017 (Las Vegas) - The San Diego State men’s golf team finds itself in 15th place at the highly competitive Southern Highlands Collegiate after shooting a 19-over-par 307 on Monday during the opening round at Southern Highlands Golf Club. 

With their total, the 22nd-ranked Aztecs remain 15 shots out of the top 10, where Florida, Oklahoma and California are all tied eighth at 4-over 292 heading into Tuesday’s second round on the par-72, 7,374-yard course layout.

PJ Samiere carded SDSU’s lowest score with a 2-over 74 to finish the day in a tie for 41st. The Aztec junior sank three birdies overall, including a successful drain on his front nine at the par-3, 174-yard No. 12, which ranked as the second-toughest hole of the opening round. However, two bogeys and a double-bogey on the par-5, No. 3 derailed his momentum.

Fellow classmate Blake Abercrombie sits one shot in back of Samiere in a tie for 49th after firing a 75 on Tuesday. The Rocklin, Calif., native was unable to avoid disaster on his first hole, the par-4 10th, logging an 8 before rebounding with a team-high five birdies.

Meanwhile Nahum Mendoza III finds himself in a tie for 69th on the heels of an opening-round 78. The SDSU senior was just 1-over for the day after making birdie on the par-5, 603-yard 18th; however, three bogeys and a double-bogey-5 on the back nine sandbagged his round.

The Aztecs were also represented by sophomore Otto Vanhatalo, who was making his first varsity start in a Scarlet and Black uniform. However, the Torrey Pines High alumnus found birdies elusive, settling in a tie for 76th after shooting an 80.

With nine schools in the stacked field ranked among the Golfstat top 25, No. 7 USC (-10) grabbed a three-shot lead over No. 10 Stanford (-7), while Pepperdine (-6) remains a close third, followed by No. 4 Oklahoma State (-2) and SMU (-1).

California’s Collin Morikawa (-6) is perched atop the individual leaderboard after carding a 66, while Stanford’s Maverick McNealy (-5) lurks in second one shot behind, followed by USC’s Sean Crocker and Pepperdine’s Joshua McCarthy, who are tied for third at 4-under.

The Southern Highlands Collegiate continues on Tuesday when SDSU tees off with Arizona State and New Mexico for the second round, beginning at 10:20 a.m. PT.

Southern Highlands Collegiate

Round One Results

Southern Highlands G.C.

Las Vegas, Nev.

Par 72, 7,374 yards

Team Scores (Top 5 of 15 teams + SDSU)

1. USC                                               278 (-10)

2. Stanford                                       281 (-7)

3. Pepperdine                                  282 (-6)

4. Oklahoma State                           286 (-2)

5. SMU                                              287 (-1)

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15. San Diego State                          307 (+19)            

Individual Leaders (Top 6 of 79 players + SDSU)        

1. Collin Morikawa, California                        66 (-6)

2. Maverick McNealy, Stanford                      67 (-5)

T3. Sean Crocker, USC                                    68 (-4)

T3. Joshua McCarthy, Pepperdine                 68 (-4)

T5. Hayden Wood, Florida                             69 (-3)

T5. Cheng Jin, USC                                          69 (-3)

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T42. PJ Samiere, SDSU                                   74 (+2)

T50. Blake Abercrombie SDSU                       75 (+3)

T69. Nahum Mendoza III, SDSU                     78 (+6)

T75. Otto Vanhatalo, SDSU                            80 (+8)

Day one results