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MEN'S GOLF NOTEBOOKFRESNO STATE WINS THIRD WAC TITLE - With no shortage of drama, Fresno State held off a charging Tulsa squad to claim the team title while the Golden Hurricane's David Inglis needed a three-hole playoff to win medalist honors over the Bulldog's Nick Watney on the final day of action at the 2003 Western Athletic Conference Golf Championship at The Houstonian Country Club in nearby Richmond, Texas.
Fresno State began the championship tournament's final round with a five stroke lead, but Tulsa chipped away before the Bulldogs could claim the 2003 title with a 54-hole total of two-under par 862. Tulsa ended the tournament three shots off the pace (865, +1) while UTEP finished third overall with a four-over par 868. SMU also charged into fourth (880) while Nevada placed fifth (885) and tournament host Rice finished sixth (887).
The battle for the individual championship between Inglis and Watney, the league's highest-ranked players, lived up to pre-tournament expectations. Inglis began the day with a two-shot lead, 137 to 139, but Watney picked up a stroke on the front nine then birdied the first two holes on the back nine to tie up the match through 47 of the 54 holes. The duo then matched strokes for the remaining seven holes to tie for the lead with identical eight-under par 208s.
The tie-breaker for the individual championship was to play The Houstonian's 464-yard, par four, 18th hole until the deadlock is broken. Again, the two twice matched a pair of par scores, but on the third playoff of the same hole Watney hit his drive into a right-side bunker and then took another two shots before reaching the green. Inglis reached the green in two and safely two-putted to win the hole 4-5. Inglis became the WAC's first three-time individual champion and the junior accomplished the feat his first three years in the league.
Third place went to Fresno State's Chad Spencer (211, -5) who tied Watney for the best round of the day with a three-under par 69. UTEP's Dan Swanson shot a 70 to finish fourth in the 50-player field with a composite four-under 212.
2003 WAC HONORS - At the conclusion of the WAC Championship, the WAC honors were handed out. For WAC Coach of the Year, Fresno State's Mike Watney earned the honor. Watney led the Bulldogs to their second WAC title in four season's, while picking up two other top-five finishes this spring. His Bulldogs entered the WAC Championship ranked 19th in the country by Golfstat with a 288.75 team strokes-per-round average. For WAC Freshman of the Year, SMU's Will Dodson picked up the trophy. Dodson led all WAC freshman this season with a 73.90 stroke average. Dodson was the Mustangs' top finisher when SMU won the Louisiana Classic in March. Fresno State's Nick Watney became the WAC's first-time three-time Player of the Year winner, picking it up in 2001, 2002 and 2003. Watney entered the championship as the nation's top golfer according to Golfstat with a 69.58. Watney won five tournaments this year, more than any other player in the nation.
WATNEY AMONG THE TOP IN THE COUNTRY - Fresno State senior Nick Watney is ranked No. 2 in the country by Golfstat with a 69.58 stroke average, the only player below 70. Watney, who finished second in the WAC Championship after a three-hole playoff, has won five tournaments this year, more than any other player in the nation. Watney was tops in the nation a week ago.
HOGAN SEMIFINALISTS ANNCOUNCED - Bank of America in cooperation with The Friends of Golf (FOG), Colonial Country Club and the Golf Coaches Association of America announced the 11 semifinalists for the 2003 Ben Hogan Award. The Hogan is presented annually to the top men's NCAA Division I, II, III, or NAIA golfer, taking into account all collegiate and amateur competitions during the last 12 months.
Fresno State's Nick Watney is among the 11 semifinalists. Watney, who leads the WAC with a 69.58 stroke average, is also ranked first in the nation by GolfStat and fifth by GolfWeek. The senior from Dixon, Calif., has five tournament wins this year, including a tournament record, 17-under at the Bite Intercollegiate.
2003 Ben Hogan Semifinalists:Ricky Barnes, Arizona
Dustin Bray, North Carolina
Bill Haas, Wake Forest
Hunter Mahan, Oklahoma State
Ryan Moore, UNLV
Chris Nallen, Arizona
Adam Rubinson, TCU
D.J. Trahan, Clemson
Justin Walters, North Carolina State
Nick Watney, Fresno StateOliver Wilson, Augusta State
FOUR WAC TEAMS, TWO INDIVIDUALS GET NCAA REGIONAL BIDS - The NCAA Division I Men's Golf Committee has selected the teams and individuals that will participate in the 2003 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships. Fresno State, the 2003 WAC Champion, SMU, UTEP, and Tulsa, all received team bids to play in this year's regional championships. Qualifying as individuals, are all-WAC second team selections, Isaac Weintraub of San Jose State and Graham DaLeat of Boise State.
The Bulldogs earned the WAC's automatic bid, and will compete in the West Regional along with UTEP and individuals DeLaet and Weintraub. The Mustangs and Golden Hurricane will both compete in the Central Region. Both regionals will be held on May 15-17, with the West at the Washington National Golf Club in Auburn, Washington (host: Washington) and the Central at Colbert Hills Golf Course in Manhattan, Kansas (host: Kansas State).
A total of 27 teams and six individuals have been selected for each regional competition with 10 teams and two individuals advancing from each regional to the championships finals.
The NCAA Championships will be conducted May 27-30 at Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Oklahoma State University is the host institution for this year's championships.
CENTRAL REGIONALColbert Hills Golf Course in Manhattan, Kansas
Hosted by Kansas State University.
Teams (seeded in the following order):1. Texas (Big 12)
2. TCU (Conference USA)
3. Oklahoma State
4. North Carolina
5. Minnesota (Big Ten)
6. North Carolina State
7. Oklahoma
8. Arkansas
9. Illinois
10. Northwestern
11. SMU12. Baylor
13. Tulsa14. Kentucky
15. Lamar (Southland)
16. Toledo
17. Michigan State
18. Wichita State (Missouri Valley)
19. North Texas (Sun Belt)
20. Texas A&M
21. Ohio State
22. Kent State (MAC)
23. Texas Tech
24. Kansas
25. Missouri
26. Kansas State
27. Wright State (Horizon)
Individuals:1. Jeff Overton, Indiana
2. Brandon Brown, Eastern Kentucky
3. Peter Karmis, Purdue
4. Brett Jones, Louisville
5. Brett Callas, Houston
6. Stephen Carroll, Colorado
WEST REGIONALWashington National Golf Club in Auburn, Washington
Hosted by the University of Washington
Teams (seeded in the following order):1. UCLA (Pacific-10)
2. UNLV
3. Arizona
4. Georgia
5. Arizona State
6. Washington
7. New Mexico (Mountain West)
8. Southern California
9. Pepperdine (West Coast)
10. San Diego State
11. California
12. Fresno State (WAC)13. UC Irvine (Big West)
14. Brigham Young
15. Colorado State
16. UTEP17. Denver
18. Oregon
19. Austin Peay (Ohio Valley)
20. Stanford
21. Oregon State
22. Old Dominion (Colonial)
23. Xavier (Atlantic 10)
24. Oral Roberts (Mid-Continent)
25. Navy (Patriot)
26. Central Connecticut State (Northeast)
27. Loyola (Maryland) (Metro Atlantic)
Individuals:1. Matt Hansen, Pacific
2. Brendan Steele, UC Riverside
3. Travis Bertoni, Cal Poly
4. Isaac Weintraub, San Jose State5. Pete Sisich, Cal State Northridge
6. Graham DeLaet, Boise State