USC Wins Gifford Collegiate
SAN MARTIN, Calif. (Nov 2, 2011) -- USC Senior Steve Lim fired a final-round 69 to not only lead the USC men’s golf team to its first title this season but also claim his first collegiate title on the final day of the 2011 Gifford Collegiate at the CordeValle G.C. in San Martin, California.
The Trojans built a 12-stroke lead after the second round and put the cushion to good use, holding off UCLA for the win at 8-under 1057 (345-352-360), four shots better than the second-place Bruins’ 1061 (348-361-352). The L.A. schools, competing in the final event of the fall season, were both well ahead of Pac-12 rival and third-place Oregon, which finished at 20-over 1085. Troy won twice last season, including at the 2011 Pac-10 Championships. “It was a great victory for our program,” USC sixth-year coach Chris Zambri said. “We all felt capable of having a week like this. It is great to go into the break with a win.”
Lim, USC’s active leader in rounds in the 60s, put together one of USC’s top tournaments in recent memory to win at 11-under 202 (66-67-69). Though he bogeyed his final two holes to take some off the gloss off a 4-under start, Lim was still able to hold off UCLA All-American Patrick Cantlay, who finished at 10-under 203 (63-70-70).
Sophomore Jeffrey Kang matched Lim with a final-round 69 to finish sixth at even par 213 (68-76-69). He had four birdies on the day against two bogeys to help him secure his fourth top 6 finish in his career and the first this season.
Highly touted USC Freshman Anthony Paolucci secured his second top 20 finish, tying for 13th at 3-over 216 (68-76-72). USC Sophomore Ramsey Sahyoun finished a USC career-best tied for 17th at 4-over 217 (74-66-77) a day after carding his best round as a Trojan.
USC Juniors Martin Trainer (73-70-75) and Sam Smith (70-73-75) tied for 20th at 5-over 218. Trainer had four birdies during an up-and-down round while a quadruple bogey on the sixth hole did in an otherwise solid round for Smith.