OSU's Matt Wolff eyes his tee ball at San Diego Country Club (Kerry Booth photo)
CHULA VISTA, California (March 12, 2018) -- San Diego Country Club put some of the fastest, even treacherous greens under the feet of Oklahoma State this week at the Lamkin Grips San Diego Classic. It didn't matter.
Feeding off talent and momentum, the recent unanimous No. 1 pick in the Bushnell/Golfweek College Coaches poll picked up right where they left off at last week's Querencia Cabo Collegiate Classic -- nabbing a convincing 32 stroke win in the 54-hole event. After taking a 12-stroke lead after Monday's 36 hole (good thing for daylight savings) opener, went ballistic Tuesday on the par-72, 7,033-yard layout with a 21-under 267 to finish at 44-under 820.
That's how a number one ranked team does it.
Texas Tech closed with a 280 to finish second at 852, while Arizona was third at 860.
Oklahoma State grabbed spots 2-4 on the leaderboard. Viktor Hovland finished with a tournament low round of 8-under 64 to finish second at 13-under, while his teammates Matthew Wolff (12-under) and Zach Bauchou (10-under) took third and fourth respectively.
But the the top spot and medalist honors went to Fredrik Nilehn of No. 2 ranked Texas Tech. Nilehn went out hot this morning, starting birdie-eagle and posting 32 on the front nine before going on another tear with birdies on Nos 12-14. Despite a bogey on the challenging 460-yard 18th, with the gorgeous Spanish-style clubhouse in the background, Nilehn was able to hang on to win by two for his second individual victory of the Spring (he won the Wyoming Desert Intercollegiate in February).
And if you wonder about the names of the first and second place individuals, they are further proof of the strength of Scandinavian golf -- Nilehn is Swedish, Hovland is from Norway.
As for the Cowboys, they have now won five events in a row, including all four of their starts this spring; it is the first time since the 1994-95 squad (under Mike Holder) that the team has accomplished that feat. And it was their widest margin of victory since they won by 51 at the Rebel Intercollegiate in Las Vegas in 1985.
TOURNAMENT NOTES
The legendary Billy Casper played his golf at San Diego Country Club, and there is a plaque out front dedicated to him, right next to the one dedicated to LPGA legend Mickey Wright. Neither player probably considered the likelihood of someone driving the 17th hole, as Matthew Wolff of Oklahoma State did in the practice round. The hole plays 367-yards, uphill. Wolff has an unorthodox move (he works with internet golf guru George Gankas) that generates power and consistency -- he finished the tournament at 12-under 204, sandwiching a round of 72 with two 66s. He is ranked No. 3 individually in the Golfweek/Sagarin collegiate rankings.
ABOUT THE
San Diego Lamkin Invitational
Collegiate event hosted by San Diego State and
played at their home course, San Diego Country
Club. Team (best four scores of five players each
day)
and individual competitions.
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