Oct. 7, 2009
Nipomo, Callif. -
Courtesy Cal Poly sports information office
Cal Poly junior Bryan Pierce carded a six-under-par 65 Tuesday to lead Cal Poly to the men¹s team championship at the Firestone Grill College Invitational at the Monarch Dunes Golf Club in Nipomo.
Coach Scott Cartwright¹s Mustangs claimed the team title by seven strokes over Cal State Fullerton, fielding a golf team for the first time this season.
John San Juan paced the Titans with a 54-hole total of 215. He was trialed by Scott Rubzin at 217, Nick Ellis at 218, Dakota Duerr at 223 and Jake Golembiewski at 227.
Cal Poly carded a four-person 279 Tuesday for a seven-over-par 859 total for 54 holes. Cal State Fullerton was next at 866 followed by Holy Names (869) and Cal Baptist (879).
Pierce, who notched an eagle, six birdies and a pair of bogeys, missed the school record by one stroke. Chris Kirk shot a 64 in the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate in 2007 at Solvang.
On the women¹s side, Cal Poly and Cal State Northridge both finished with 917 totals, but the Matadors took home the first-place team trophy by virtue of a better score by the No. 5 golfers on each team. Tammy Panich had a 78 for the Matadors and Miquela Pendleton carded an 87 for Cal Poly.
Fullerton placed eighth in its second tourney of the season with a score of 981. Leading the way was Deidra Crabtree at 245 followed by Taylor Fowler and Neomi Hunt at 246, Mecaela Guzman at 250 and Kaori Suda at 253.
Defending Big West Conference champion Stephanie Yocum of Cal Poly captured top individual honors with a final-round 71 and a seven-over-par 220 total, six strokes ahead of Mustang teammate Maddy Fletcher, who had a final-round 75.
Pierce¹s round of 65 is a collegiate career best. The Arroyo Grande High School graduate carded a 67 a year ago on the same course.
He had a chance to tie the school record, but bogeyed his final hole, the 470-yard No. 9 hole. Pierce¹s second shot scooted off the back edge of the green by 10 yards and his chip and two putts resulted in a bogey five.
Pierce¹s eagle was on the 560-yard, par-5 sixth hole. He settled for a second-place tie behind individual winner Tyler Morris of San Diego State, who had rounds of 68, 71 and 68 for a six-under-par 207 total on the 6,810-yard, par-71 layout.
Pierce posted rounds of 72 and 74 Monday and finished at two-under-par 211, sharing second place with Mustang teammate Pace Johnson. Johnson carded a 72, 71 and 68, pitching from 30 yards off the front of the green into the cup on his final hole for a birdie and the runner-up finish.
Tom Berry of San Diego State aced the 121-yard third hole Tuesday, the second hole-in-one of the tournament. On Monday, Scott Rubzin of Cal State Fullerton aced the same hole. Rubzin finished with two eagles in the tournament.
Pierce and Johnson led the field in par-3 scoring with a 2.93 average and a one-under-par total. Pierce also was the leader on the par-5s with a 4.58 average and a minus-5 total.
On the women¹s side, third place in the team standings was UC Riverside with a 941 total, 24 strokes behind the Mustangs and Matadors. The No. 3 individual was Maurissa Medina of Cal State Northridge with a 227 total.
The women¹s course measured 5,847 yards and also is par 71.
Yocum led the field in par-4 scoring with a 4.11 average while she shared top honored on the par 5s with teammates Heath and Fletcher, all with 5.00 averages. Fletcher carded the most pars (37) in the tournament while Yocum shared top honors with Alexandra Erdman of UC Riverside for the most birdies with eight.