Cal's Max Homa ties for medalist
KAHUKU, HI (Feb. 18, 2010-- No. 19/22 Cal won its third tournament of the regular season to tie a school record for most team victories in a regular season by closing out a win during the third and final round of action Friday at the John A. Burns Intercollegiate hosted by Hawai'i at the Turtle Bay Resort. Cal (283-274-277 - 834, -30) won the event by six strokes over No. 8/9 Texas A&M (283-282-275 - 840, -24) holding off the top ranked team in the event after having led the Aggies by eight strokes heading into the final round.
"It was a solid team victory," said Cal head coach Steve Desimone. "All of our guys played well and hung in there when Texas A&M closed the gap to just a couple of shots on the back nine today. We're very pleased to have beaten a great Texas A&M squad and some other really solid teams in the field as well."
"I am very happy that this is the third time we've had a lead in the final round this season and the third time we've won," added Desimone.
Cal's Max Homa (68-69-69 - 206, -10) reached a three-way playoff for individual medalist honors with Virginia's Ben Kohles (71-68-67 - 206, -10) and Texas A&M's John Hurley (69-70-67 - 206, -10). Kohles won the playoff when he sank a six-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole.
Homa had been in the tournament lead before sliding back into the playoff with bogeys on his final two holes at eight and nine. Homa started his day with a birdie on the 10th hole and had two more birdies on 14 and 17 to go with a bogey on 16 for a two-under 34 over his first nine holes on the back nine. He moved to five-under for the day when he birdied the fourth, fifth and seventh holes before giving two strokes back to par on his final two holes.
Eric Mina (72-65-72 - 209, -7) started the day tied with Homa for second place after firing a collegiate-best-tying seven-under par round of 65 on Thursday but fell back into a tie for sixth place finish after his even-par 72 on Friday that matched his opening round Wednesday. Mina had four birdies and four bogeys during his round.
Mina and Homa were not the only golfers that finished in the top 10 as Stephen Hale (72-70-68 - 210, -6) and Ben An (72-70-68 - 210, -6) tied for eighth and continued their symmetry in the tournament by both shooting the same scores each day. The four-under par rounds of 68 posted by both Hale and An on Friday were Cal's best scores of the day. Hale had four birdies and 14 pars without a bogey, while An had six birdies and two bogeys.
Michael Weaver (71-74-73 - 218, +2) also played in the event for the Bears, tying for 35th.
Friday's final round of action was contested at the par-72, 6,712-yard George Fazio Course, after the first two rounds were held at the par-72, 7,198 Arnold Palmer Course.
Cal has now posted victories in 2010-11 at The Prestige at PGA WEST, The Alister MacKenzie Invitational and the John A. Burns Intercollegiate.
"The guys want that fourth win and I like our chances," said Desimone. "They like winning."
John A. Burns Intercollegiate (hosted by Hawai'i)Kahuku, HI - Turtle Bay Resort - George Fazio Course (Par-72, 6,712 yards)*Note: First two rounds on Wednesday and Thursday were played at the Arnold Palmer Course (Par-72, 7,198 yards)
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS 1. Cal (283-274-277 - 834, -30) 2. Texas A&M (283-282-275 - 840, -24) 3. Virginia (294-283-269 - 846, -18) 4. New Mexico (298-286-268 - 852, -12) 5. Nevada (290-287-277 - 854, -10) 6. SMU (289-291-277 - 857, -7) 7. Fresno State (293-288-279 - 860, -4) 8. Arizona (296-285-286 - 867, +3) 9. Hawai'i `A' (299-288-283 - 870, +6) 10. Denver (296-291-292 - 879, +15) 11. BYU (294-309-280 - 883, +19) 12. UTEP (306-304-281 - 891, +27) 13. BYU-Hawai'i (292-305-296 - 893, +29) 14. Hawai'i-Hilo (318-290-287 - 895, +31) 15. Hawai'i-Pacific (301-302-293 - 896, +32) 16. Utah (311-311-288 - 910, +46) 17. Hawai'i `B' (314-312-302 - 928, +64)
TOURNAMENT INDIVIDUAL MEDALIST *T1. Ben Kohles (Virginia) 71-68-67 - 206 (-10) T1. Max Homa (Cal) 68-69-69 - 206 (-10) T1. John Hurley (Texas A&M) 71-68-67 - 206 (-10)*Kohles won three-way playoff with birdie on second playoff hole
ABOUT THE John Burns Intercollegiate
54 hole men's college tournament hosted by
the
University of Hawaii. Team (best four out of five
players) and individual scoring.
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