SDSU MEN'S GOLF FINISHES EIGHTH AT MW CHAMPIONSHIP

Aztecs’ Blake Abercrombie (left), Trevor Norby tie for 13th individually

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo:  Courtesy goaztecs.com

April 22, 2018 (Bremerton, Wash.) - The San Diego State men’s golf team finished in eighth place at the Mountain West Championship on Sunday after firing a collective 9-over-par 297 during the final round at Gold Mountain Golf Club.

Despite shaving six strokes off their score from the previous day, the Aztecs slipped one notch in the standings, completing the tournament with a 54-hole total of 20-over 884 on the par-72, 7,115-yard Olympic Course.

With its results, SDSU also landed out of the top five at the MW Championship for the first time since 2008 and failed to have an individual place among the top four in the event for the first time in 13 years.

Blake Abercrombie (Rocklin, Calif.) and Trevor Norby (Carlsbad, Calif.) were the Aztecs’ top finishers, as each tied for 13th at 3-over 219.

Abercrombie shot a final-round 73 to climb three spots on the leaderboard, highlighted by an eagle-2 on the par-4, 324-yard No. 18. The Aztec senior also recorded birdies on the No. 4 and No. 13 greens; however, five bogeys prevented a steeper ascent.

Despite posting a team-high 13 pars, Norby was saddled with his second straight 75 thanks in part to a triple bogey on the par-4, 481-yard No. 3, which ranked as the fourth-toughest hole of the weekend. The SDSU sophomore regrouped with birdies on the ninth and 11th greens, but bogeys at No. 12 and No. 14 stymied his progress. 

In addition, PJ Samiere (Kailua, Hawaii) jumped four places into a tie for 21st at 5-over 221 after matching Abercrombie with a 73. The Aztec senior sank three birdies over the last four holes on the front nine to get to 2-under for the day. However, a bogey on the par-5 11th followed by a double at the par-3 No. 12 short-circuited his momentum. Still, Samiere was the lone SDSU without a blemish on his scorecard over the final six holes, closing with consecutive pars during that stretch.

Elsewhere, Puwit Anupansuebsai (Nakhon Phanom, Thailand) completed his first appearance at the MW Championship in a tie for 27th at 9-over 225 following a final-round 76. Despite sharing the team lead with three birdies, including back-to-back drains on the 10th and 11th greens, the Aztec freshman was plagued by inconsistency throughout the day, suffering seven bogeys, including two on his final three holes.

Likewise, Pablo Matesanz (Irun, Spain) wrapped up his first-ever start in the conference tournament with a 54th-place finish at 23-over 239. Despite carding his best score of the weekend, the SDSU senior was unable to gain ground on the leaderboard, as seven bogeys, including five straight on the front nine, proved too much to overcome.

UNLV, which secured its third consecutive team title on Sunday, was the lone school to finish in red figures for the tournament, posting an 8-under 856 to keep second-place Colorado State (+3) at bay, while Nevada (+11) took third, followed by Fresno State (+17), Wyoming (+18) and New Mexico (+18).

The Rebels also boasted the individual winner, as Shintaro Ban logged a tournament record 16-under 200 to easily outdistance Nevada’s Grant Booth (-7), while San José State’s  Sean Yu and New Mexico’s Galven Green tied for third at 2-under.

San Diego State will await word of its postseason destination on Wednesday, May 2, when NCAA regional bids are announced live on the Golf Channel, beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT. The Aztecs, who are currently ranked 48th nationally, are expected to make their school-record 20th consecutive regional appearance.

2018 Mountain West Championship

Final Results

Gold Mountain G.C.

Olympic Course

Bremerton, Wash.

Par 72, 7,115 yards

Team Scores

1. UNLV                               284-288-284—856 (-8)

2. Colorado State                284-293-290—867 (+3)

3. Nevada                            293-291-291—875 (+11)

4. Fresno State                    287-295-299—881 (+17)

T5. Wyoming                      289-293-300—882 (+18)

T5. New Mexico                  295-298-289—882 (+18)

7. Boise State                      296-296-291—883 (+19)

8. San Diego State              284-303-297—884 (+20)

9. San José State                 288-297-300—885 (+21)

10. Air Force                        305-303-309—917 (+53)

11. Utah State                     304-309-309—922 (+58)

Individual Leaders (Top 8 of 55 players + SDSU)        

1. Shintaro Ban, UNLV                                      68-67-65—200 (-16)

2. Grant Booth, Nevada                                   68-71-70—209 (-7)

T3. Sean Yu, San José State                             74-67-73—214 (-2)

T3. Galven Green, New Mexico                       69-75-70—214 (-2)

T5. Brian Humphreys, Boise State                  74-72-69—215 (-1)

T5. Max Oelfke, Colorado State                      76-68-71—215 (-1)

T5. Jake Staiano, Colorado State                    71-72-72—215 (-1)

T5. AJ Ott, Colorado State                               66-75-74—215 (-1)

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T13. Blake Abercrombie, SDSU                      69-77-73—219 (+3)

T13. Trevor Norby, SDSU                                69-75-75—219 (+3)

T21. PJ Samiere, SDSU                                    72-76-73—221 (+5)

T27. Puwit Anupansuebsai, SDSU                  74-75-76—225 (+9)

54. Pablo Matesanz, SDSU                              78-84-77—239 (+23)

Final results