ROUND TWO SUSPENDED FOR SDSU MEN'S GOLF AT GOPHER INVITATIONAL

Tournament to resume Monday; Aztecs tied for 12th

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

September 10, 2017 (Independence, Minn.) - The San Diego State men's golf team finds itself in a tie for 12th place at the Gopher Invitational after play was suspended on Sunday toward the end of round two due to darkness. Collectively, the Aztecs sit at 21-over par with four starters still on the course at the par-71, 7,388-yard Windsong Farm Golf Club when dusk fell.

San Diego State finished the opening round in third place after posting a combined 3-over 287, but experienced a precipitous drop in the afternoon, falling into a tie for 12th with Iowa and Penn State. Play is scheduled to resume on Monday, starting at 8:30 a.m. CT/6:30 a.m. PT.

Individually, Blake Abercrombie (Rocklin, Calif.) was the lone SDSU player to complete both rounds finishing the day in a tie for 40th at 5-over 147. The Aztec junior shot a 70 over the first 18 holes, offsetting two bogeys with a trio of birdies, including a successful drain on his back-nine at the par-4, 471-yard No. 1 green. However, Abercrombie was unable to sustain the momentum in the afternoon, stumbling 33 places on the leaderboard on the heels of a second-round 77.

In addition, Trevor Norby (Carlsbad, Calif.) remains in an eight-way tie for 18th at 3-over with two holes remaining in the second round. The Aztec sophomore carded a 71 in the morning session, highlighted by four birdies, including an impressive conversion on the par-4, 469-yard No. 2, which ranked as the most difficult hole of round one.  The San Marcos High alumnus added three more birdies in the second round, but six bogeys has prevented a loftier perch.

Elsewhere PJ Samiere (Kailua, Hawaii) occupies the 46th position at 6-over with five holes remaining his second round. The SDSU senior got off to a wobbly start in the opening round, going bogey-double bogey on his first two greens, before regrouping with 11 pars and three birdies en route to a 74. Samiere notched back-to-back drains on No. 12 and 13 in the afternoon, easing the sting of a triple bogey on the par-5 No. 9.

Puwit Anupansuebsai (Nakhon Phanom, Thailand) shot a 1-over 72 in his first collegiate round, sinking a trio of birdies to counter four bogeys. However, the Aztec freshman experienced difficulty in round two, slipping 32 places into a tie for 48th at 7-over with two holes to go. Anupansuebsai recorded birdies at the par-4 No. 8 and the par-5 12th, but six bogeys and a double have proven difficult to overcome.

The SDSU rotation also features Eric Ghim (Glendale, Ariz.), who sits in a tie for 74th at 13-over with one hole remaining in the second round. The Aztec sophomore was unable to sustain any consistency in the morning, settling for a 78. Despite logging three birdies. Ghim was plagued by a rash of six bogeys and two doubles before suffering six additional blemishes in round two.

Kent State’s Ian Holt was one of 32 golfers to complete both rounds on Sunday, grabbing the individual lead after posting a 5-under 137, while Pepperdine’s Sahith Theegala and Arizona State’s Alex Del Rey Gonzalez lurk just one shot behind in a tie for second at 4-under. Rounding out the top five are Arkansas’ Mason Overstreet (-3) and Virginia Tech’s Mark Lawrence (-1).

In the team standings, Arkansas (+1) currently owns a three-stroke advantage over Baylor (+4), followed by Oklahoma (+8), Michigan State (+10) and Charlotte (+13).

The Aztecs also have two golfers competing in the auxiliary Gopher Invitational individual tournament, being conducted at the par-72, 6,953-yard Pioneer Creek Golf Course in Maple Plain, Minn. Junior Otto Vanhatalo (Espoo, Finland) finds himself in a tie for 20th at 9-over 153 on rounds of 77-76, while senior Pablo Matesanz remains in 25th after carding a 12-over 156 (80-76).

Gopher Invitational

Round Two Results

Suspended Due to Darkness

Windsong Farm G.C.

Par 71, 7,388 yards

Team Standings (Top 5 of 16 teams + SDSU)

1. Arkansas                                        (+1) through holes 14-18

2. Baylor                                             (+4) through holes 16-17

3. Oklahoma                                      (+8) through holes 16-17

4. Michigan State                               (+10) through holes 16-17

5. Charlotte                                        (+13) through holes 13-18

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T12. San Diego State                        (+21) through holes 13-18

Individual Leaders (Top 7 of 87 players + SDSU)        

1. Ian Holt, Kent State                                                     70-67—137 (-5)

T2. Sahith Theegala, Pepperdine                                   68-70—138 (-4)

T2. Alex Del Rey Gonzalez, Arizona State                      71-67—138 (-4)

4. Mason Overstreet, Arkansas                                     72-67—139 (-3)

T5. Mark Lawrence, Virginia Tech                                  72-69—141 (-1)

T5. Matthew Perrine, Baylor                                          (-1) through hole 17

T5. Connor Purcell, Charlotte                                         (-1) through hole 13

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T18. Trevor Norby, SDSU                                               (+3) through hole 16

T40. Blake Abercrombie, SDSU                                     70-77—147 (+5)

T46. PJ Samiere, SDSU                                                   (+6) through hole 13

T48. Puwit Anupansuebsai, SDSU                                 (+7) through hole 16

T74. Eric Ghim, SDSU                                                      (+13) through hole 17

Gopher Invitational

Individual Tournament

Day One Results

Pioneer Creek G.C.

Maple Plain, Minn.

Par 72, 6,953 yards

SDSU Individual Scores Only

T20. Otto Vanhatalo, SDSU                                            77-76—153 (+9)

25. Pablo Matesanz, SDSU                                             80-76—156 (+12)