April 7, 2013
TEMPE, Ariz. - No. 1 Cal (284-282-278 - 844, -8) continued its climb back up the leader board during Sunday's final round of action at the ASU Thunderbird Invitational before finishing one stroke behind winner UNLV (283-283-277 - 843, -9). Brandon Hagy (70-65-68 - 203, -10) tied for second on the final player leader board a shot behind individual medalist Nick Chianello of Oregon State (64-68-70 - 202, -11).
"The team battled all day and came close," Hagy said. "I'm proud of the guys and we'll be back on top soon."
"It was a tough, tough day," head coach Steve Desimone said. "We left everything on the golf course. We're very disappointed and frustrated because it was so close. But I'm very proud of these guys. We were clearly not as sharp as we've been especially in the first two rounds, but we played so hard all three rounds. UNLV is a good team, so hats off to them. We'll regroup soon."
Cal, which entered the event with eight wins in nine previous tournaments, had the second-best round of the day and actually passed all three teams it trailed heading into Sunday's action but the Runnin' Rebels were one stroke better than the Golden Bears both for the day and the tournament. UNLV and Cal had begun the final 18 holes tied for fourth and four strokes behind second-round leader New Mexico. Cal was eight strokes out of the lead after Friday's first round.
The par-three 16th proved to be a critical hole for the Bears as their four scorers played the hole in five-over par while UNLV's four scorers were even par. Cal gained two strokes back on the Runnin' Rebels on both the 17th and 18th holes, but still fell a single stroke shy. Cal played 17 in two-under par, while UNLV was even. On 18, Cal was even and UNLV was two-over.
Hagy (70-65-68 - 203, -10) made a run at winning for the second time in his collegiate career but in the end couldn't take advantage of enough opportunities.
"Overall, I played well today and made some good par putts on eight and nine to keep the momentum going," Hagy said. "I hit the ball really well on the back nine and gave myself lots of opportunities to make eagles and birdies but just missed too many putts."
Hagy finished his final round with five birdies and two bogeys. In addition to back-to-back birdies on the par-four third and fourth holes on the front nine, he birdied each of the course's par-five holes on the back nine (10, 14, 17) to play those three holes in eight-under over three rounds. His bogeys Sunday came on the par-four fifth and par-three 16th holes.
Michael Kim (69-71-72 - 212, -1) tied for 11th to finish out of the top 10 for the first time in 10 events this season. Kim was at one-under par through 15 holes but bogeyed two of his final three on 16 and the par-four 18th. His three birdies Sunday came on the par-four second, par-three seventh and par-four 11th. His other bogeys happened on the third and par-three sixth.
Joël Stalter (73-76-66 - 215, +2) soared 27 spots into a tie for 23rd with a five-under par 66 that equaled the best round of the day and tied for the second-best of the tournament. Stalter came out on fire with birdies on the first two holes, both par fours. He then had back-to-back birdies again on seven and the par-four eighth. Stalter would drop as low as six-under for the day and move within a stroke of even par for the tournament with two more birdies on the 10th and par-four 13th. Back-to-back bogeys on the par-four 15th hole and the 16th cooled his hot streak before he came up with a final birdie on 17.
Max Homa (73-70-74 - 217, +4) wound up tied for 33rd after his final-round three-over par 74. Homa's three birdies (2, 7, 11) were overshadowed by his six bogeys (3, 7, 9, 13, 15, 18).
James Yoon (72-76-72 - 220, +7) tied for 46th overall following an up-and-down one-over par final round 72 during which he had six birdies (2, 6, 10, 11, 14, 18), five bogeys (1, 3, 8, 12, 13) and a double bogey (16).
Cal was playing its first of two consecutive tournaments to end the regular season without Michael Weaver, who is in Augusta preparing to play in the 2013 Masters. Weaver, who earned an invitation to the Masters by finishing as the runner-up at the 2012 U.S. Amateur, will become the first current Cal golfer to ever play in the Masters this Thursday-Sunday, April 11-14.
Cal has won a school-record eight of 10 tournaments in 2012-13 and is only two victories shy of the unofficial NCAA season-record win total of 10 established by the 1985-86 Oklahoma State squad. Cal has won 14 of its last 24 tournaments overall dating back to the beginning of the 2011-12 campaign and finished in the top five in all 24.
Cal will return to action April 13-14 for its final tournament of the 2012-13 regular season at the Western Intercollegiate hosted by San Jose State at Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz.
ASU Thunderbird Invitational (hosted by Arizona State)
Tempe, Ariz. - ASU Karsten Golf Course (par-71, 7,026 yards)
FINAL TEAM LEADER BOARD (after 3 of 3 days/3 of 3 rounds/54 of 54 holes)
1. UNLV (283-283-277 - 843, -9)
2. Cal (284-282-278 - 844, -8)
3. San Diego (289-275-283 - 847, -5)
4. New Mexico (276-286-288 - 850, -2)
5. San Diego State (281-285-286 - 852, E)
6. Oregon State (284-280-289 - 853, +1)
7. Iowa State (290-285-285 - 860, +8)
8. UC Davis (293-282-288 - 863, +11)
9. Arizona (290-284-291 - 865, +13)
10. New Mexico State (289-286-292 - 867, +15)
11. Pepperdine (287-293-288 - 868, +16)
12. Arizona State (296-293-280 - 869, +17)
13. St. John's (294-288-288 - 870, +18)
14. Denver (297-286-296 - 879, +27)
15. Harvard (294-298-306 - 898, +46)
16. Hawai'i (313-291-295 - 899, +47)
17. Seattle (298-309-301 - 908, +56)
18. Cal State Northridge (309-316-308 - 933, +81)
FINAL PLAYER LEADER BOARD - INDIVIDUAL MEDALIST (after 3 of 3 days/3 of 3 rounds/54 of 54 holes)
1. Nick Chianello (Oregon State) 64-68-70 - 132 (-11)
FINAL PLAYER LEADER BOARD - CAL INDIVIDUALS (after 3 of 3 days/3 of 3 rounds/54 of 54 holes)
T2. Brandon Hagy 70-65-68 - 203 (-10)
T11. Michael Kim 69-71-72 - 212 (-1)
T23. Joël Stalter 73-76-66 - 215 (+2)
T33. Max Homa 73-70-74 - 217 (+4)
T46. James Yoon 72-76-72 - 220 (+7)
