For the second time in the program's history, the Nevada men's golf team finished 28th at the NCAA Championships after it concluded its final round at the 2006 tournament Friday at the Crosswater Golf Course Friday. Nevada missed the top-15 cut of teams that qualify to play the final round on Saturday.
The Wolf Pack carded a final round 307, finishing 28th with a final 897 (+33) ahead of Oklahoma an Loyola Marymount. Washington continues to lead the field with a 7-under 857 ahead of Oklahoma State and Wake Forest tied at second with 860 (-4). Oklahoma State's Jonathan Moore took the individual for the first time after his third round 69 put him at 207 (-9) total.
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COMPLETE SCORINGClick here for the NCAA Men's Golf Notes, including rankings, history and schedules. NCAA WEST REGIONALS ? After finishing tied for ninth place at the 2006 NCAA West Regional, Nevada qualified for its first NCAA Championships since 1990. Nevada finished with a score of 282-287-282= 851 (-13) and won its first-ever individual medalist honors at an NCAA Regional. For the first time in his career, senior Casey Watabu won individual medalist honors when he tied for first place, shooting 70-69-64=203 (-13).
New Mexico State and Fresno State just missed the team cuts, placing 11th and tying for 12th, respectively. The Aggies shot a team total of 856, while the Bulldogs shot an 858. Boise State’s Graham DeLeat, tied for 32nd, firing a 212, -4.
Watabu opened the tournament at a tie for 26th, then improved to 17th after day two and jumped to tie for first place with a final round 64 on Saturday. Watabu’s 64 is just one shot shy of the school record for a single round and is the first time Nevada has had an athlete win the individual championship at an NCAA Regional. The last time a Pack golfer won a tournament was in 2001 when Sprague Kolp won the Wolf Pack Classic. Watabu tied with Florida’s Billy Horschel who shot a final round 66.
WAC CHAMPIONSHIP ? New Mexico State earned its first WAC championship by winning the men’s golf title. The Aggies shot a three-day total of 861 (+9) at the Crane Creek Country Club (par 71) in Boise, Idaho. New Mexico State posted a third round total of 280 (-4) to beat second place Fresno State by a total of five strokes.
On the individual side, New Mexico State’s Matt Edwards and Hawai?i’s Jarett Hamamoto ? the second round leaders ? both shot 70 in the final round to force a playoff. Edwards won the individual title on the second playoff hole. Both players finished their three rounds with a total of 211 (-2). Through the three rounds of the tournament, Edwards shot 72-69-70 for a two-under, 211. Hamamoto’s 211, came virtue of a 73, tournament low 68 and final round 70.
There was a three-way tie for third, with Fresno State teammates Jason Anthony and Brian Kelley and New Mexico State’s Ben Kreger, all of whom shot a two-over, 215.
Fresno State shot a 283 in the final round to secure its second-place finish at 866 (+14). Taking third was San Jose State which was 29 strokes better than day two, firing a final-round 279. Host Boise State and Hawai?i tied for fourth with teams totals of 879. Nevada finished sixth, while Idaho, Utah State and Louisiana Tech rounded out the field.
2006 WAC HONORS ? At the conclusion of the WAC Championship, the WAC announced its all-conference and individual awards.
First Team all-WAC
Jarett Hamamoto, Sr., Hawai?i
Danny Bowen, Sr., New Mexico State
Adam Hagen, Sr., Nevada
Graham DeLaet, Sr., Boise State
Matt Edwards, So., New Mexico State
Second-Team all-WAC
John Cassidy, Sr., Nevada
Pierre-Henri Soero, Jr., Hawai?i
Robert Goff, Sr., New Mexico State
Jason Anthony, Sr., Fresno State
Casey Watabu, Sr., Nevada
Jonny Rosa, Sr., Fresno State
Player of the Year: Graham DeLaet, Sr., Boise State
Freshman of the Year: Matt Shaw, Fresno State
Coach of the Year: Scott Lieberwirth, New Mexico State
NATIONAL RANKINGS - Click on the following links for updated men's golf national rankings.
GolfstatGolfweek/SagarinGCAA Top 25Golf World Top 25