St. George, Utah -- Freshman Jay Myers and senior Aaron Conrad
each posted an even par 72 for San Jose State University in the final
round leading the Spartans to the team title of the 5th annual Pat
Hicks Thunderbird Invitational men’s golf tournament.
In its
opening tournament of the spring season, San Jose State posted a 584
team score for 36 holes on the 6,758-yard Sunbrook Golf Course for its
first team win since the 2005 Anteater Invitational. The Spartans were
six strokes better than Washington State at 590. Denver and Southern
Utah at 598 rounded out the top five teams in the 14-team field.
“Our guys played their game and stuck with the game plan. They didn’t let anything bother them,” said San Jose State coach John Kennaday, whose team rolled in 34 birdies, tops in the field.
“We’ve worked hard on our putting and it’s beginning to pay off. We
paid a lot of attention to the wedge and the putters (during the
break).”
Playing in temperatures that peaked in the mid-40’s
and winds that gusted to 25 miles an hour, Myers was the top San Jose
State individual with a one-under par 143 for third place, his third
top-10 placing in as many tournaments and his best finish of the
season. Conrad was right behind in a four-way tie for fourth at even
par 144 for his best individual finish since he won the Del Walker
Intercollegiate in Long Beach in September 2006.
“Aaron’s
worked so hard to get through his injuries. He has a great work ethic
and commitment to the game, his team and the school. It was great to
see him do so well again,” added the San Jose State coach about Conrad,
who was in the lineup for just the second time this season and led all
players in par-4 scoring for the tournament at five-under par. “We know
Aaron is a player when he is healthy.”
All five team members
had at least one of their rounds count in the team scoring format that
adds the best four scores from a five-man team. Mark HubbardRosco Valentine tied for 22nd at 151 and Peter Gibbs, whose final-round 75 counted in the second-round scoring, was 27th at 152 in the 100-player field.
Stephan Stallworth also posted a 151 total playing as an individual entry.