CSUSB finishes 8th at Arizona golf tourney

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GOODYEAR, Ariz – Cal State San Bernardino’s men’s golf team got off to a rocky start to the 2009-10 season Tuesday, finishing in a tie for eighth place out of 18 teams at the Grand Canyon University Fall Invitational.

The Coyotes, the 2009 NCAA Division II runnerup behind Sonoma State, started the final 18 holes in sixth spot, but their final round team total of 306 dropped them two spots into a tie with St. Mary’s University of Texas and Northeastern State (Okla).

Oklahoma City University and Western Washington tied for the team title with identical one-under-par totals of 863 on the Estrella Ranch Golf Club course, a track measuring 7,121 yards to a par of 72. Based on WWU’s fifth-man score, the Vikings were given the team trophy.

Chico State finished third followed by Colorado-Colorado Springs, the 2009 Central Region champion, and Western New Mexico.

The Coyotes finished 35 shots behind the leaders.

Playing without two key players – Kenny Pigman and Josh Lansing – the Coyotes shot 295, 299 and 306 in the two-day, 54-hole tournament. CSUSB entered the new season ranked No. 9 in the Golf World/Nike Division II Coach's pre-season poll.

Senior Joe Alldis was the top player for CSUSB, firing a one-under-par 71 over the final 18 holes to finish at even par 216 and in a tie for fifth place. Alldis played the par-3s in even par, was two over on the par-4s.

Senior all-American Gene Webster Jr., shot his second 75 of the tournament to wind up in a tie for 16th at 220 – four over par. Webster tied for second place in birdies made with 12.

Senior Thomas Chu’s 77 on the final day put him in a tie for 32nd spot at 225, nine over par.

Sophomores Bryan Kim and Nick Kelley had a tough final round, each shooting 83 to finish 72nd and 81st in the field of 89 golfers.

As a team, CSUSB scored the fourth-most birdies in the tournament with 37.

Medalist honors went to Julian Valenciana of Oklahoma City University with a 208 – eight under par on rounds of 67, 72 and 69.

GRAND CANYON FALL INVITATIONAL
@ Estrella Mountain Ranch GC in Goodyear, Ariz.

TEAM SCORES: 1. (tie) Oklahoma City Univ. and Western Washington (863); 3. Chico State, 866; 4. Colorado-Colo. Springs – 878; 5. Western New Mexico – 884; 6. (tie) Grand Canyon and Texas Wesleyan – 892; 8. (tie) COYOTES, St. Mary’s (Tx), and Northeastern State – 900; 11. Fort Lewis College – 910; 12. Wayland Baptist – 916; 13. Grand Canyon JV – 918; 15. Colorado State-Pueblo – 925; 16. Regis – 937; 17. Dominican – 1009; 18. Southwestern Ariz. – 1053

COYOTE CARDS: 5. Joe Alldis – 75-70-71 – 216; 16. Gene Webster Jr. – 70-75-75 – 220; 32. Thomas Chu – 72-76-77 – 225; 72. Bryan Kim – 78-78-83 – 239; 81. Nick Kelley – 79-81-83 – 243.

TOP INDIVIDUALS: 1. Julian Valenciana (Okla. City) – 67-72-69 – 208; 2. Nick Varelia (Western Washington) – 72-71-70 – 213; 3. Brian Barhanovich (Western Washington) – 73-69-72 – 214. 4. Drrew Koonce (Texas Wesleyan) – 74-71-70 – 215. 5. (tie) Joe Alldis (CSUSB) – 75-70-71 – 216, and Sylvester Gama (Chico State) – 75-70-71 – 216.

Senior Joe Alldis finished fifth overall with even-par 216 for 54-holes at the Grand Canyon University Fall Invitational.