J.J. Spaun
Tucson, Ariz. (March 18, 2018) -- The 12th-ranked San Diego State men's golf squad won its second team and individual title this week, pulling out a one-stroke victory Saturday at the National Invitational Tournament in Tucson, Ariz. The Aztecs posted a final-round 293 to just edge out No. 4 UNLV with a 54-hole total of 5-under 859, claiming their third tournament championship in their last three outings. SDSU senior J.J. Spaun, who also won this past Tuesday at the Farms Collegiate in Rancho Santa Fe, pulled off another dominating performance with a four-stroke victory at the par-72, 7,219-yard OMNI Tucson National Golf Course.
Spaun (San Dimas, Calif.) entered the final round with just a one-stroke lead over BYU's Zachary Blair. Over the final 18 holes, Spaun fired his third sub-70 score and matched the low in the field on the day with a 4-under 68, highlighted by five birdies and an eagle for the second consecutive round on the par-5 eighth. The All-American ended up with a career-low by four strokes of 15-under 201, as Blair was four back with a 205 and four golfers tied for third place at 2-under par.
"J.J. has taken his leadership role to another level, which we obviously needed these last two weeks," said SDSU head coach Ryan Donovan. "He has set the tone for what we expect to accomplish as a team and I know the guys will respond. It is always great to win and I am proud of the team and their perseverance. I am fortunate to coach this group of players and I know our experience will help us down the road."
Spaun's earned medalist honors for the first time in 2011-12 on Tuesday, when he moved from fourth to first in the final 18 and won by two strokes at 4-under 212 at The Farms Golf Club. He now owns an active streak of four consecutive sub-70 rounds and has won three of his four career titles in the state of Arizona with the others coming at the 2010 and 2011 Thunderbird Invitational in Tempe.
Spaun was joined in the top 25 by two of his classmates in Colin Featherstone (Fallbrook, Calif.), who tied for 12th-place at 1-over 217, and Alex Kang (Oak Park, Calif.), who moved up 10 spots into 22nd place with a 4-over 220. Freshman Wilson Bateman (Edmonton, Alberta) ended up in 26th place with a 223, which was one stroke better than senior Matt Hoffenberg's (Simi Valley, Calif.) 224 that tied him for 30th.
Juniors Tom Berry (New Haw, England) tied for 52nd at 14-over 230 and Cameron Tennant (Woodland Hills, Calif.) came in 69th with a 20-over 236 to round out the Aztec contingent.
San Diego State will take its three-tournament win streak into its second and final home tournament of the season, the Barona Collegiate Cup, March 22-23, in Lakeside, Calif.
View results for National Invitational Collegiate
ABOUT THE National Invitational Collegiate
54 hole men's college tournament hosted by the
University of Arizona. Team (best four scores of five
players each day) and individual competitions.
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