Mustangs Set To Host Cal Poly Invitational: Head coach Scott Cartwright and the Cal Poly men’s golf program are gearing up for the Cal Poly Invitational March 26-27. The two-day tournament takes place at the Cypress Ridge Golf Course in Arroyo Grande. Last season, the Mustangs successfully defended its team title in the Cal Poly Men’s Intercollegiate golf tournament with a 54-hole 871 total.
Anteater Invitational Slated For End of March: The UC Irivne men’s and women’s programs are both hosting a multi-day event at the end of March - the Anteater Invitational. The men’s event takes place at the par-72, 7,016 yard course at El Niguel Coutry Club in Laguna Niguel, Calif. on Monday, March 30 & Tuesday, March 31. Along with Big West foes Cal Poly, Cal State Northridge and UC Riverside, Arizona, Loyola Marymount, Portland, Sacramento State, UTEP and Weber State are participating in the two-day event.
The women’s three-day tournament (March 30-April1) tees off at Dove Canyon Country Club (par 71, 5,924 yards) in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. Along with UC Irvine, comprising the 14-team field is Cal Poly, UC Davis, UC Riverside, Cal State Northridge, Cal State San Marcos, Eastern Washington, Idaho, Long Beach State, Nevada, Northern Colorado, Portland State, Sacramento State and San Francisco. Eighteen holes will be played each day with a shotgun start at 10:00 a.m. on March 30, 9:00 a.m. on March 31 and 8:00 a.m. on April 1.
UC Riverside Played In Familiar Territory: The UC Riverside women’s golf program opened the month of February hosting the Lady Braveheart Classic at the Oak Valley Golf Club in Beaumont, Calif. The men’s team emulated the women’s squad by opening the month of March with its own tournament, the UCR Braveheart Classic, which was also held at the Oak Valley Golf Club. The tournament field included a smattering of Big West schools - Cal Poly, Cal State Northridge, Long Beach State, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Riverside.
Irvine Women, Pacific Men Claim Team Titles: UC Irvine won its third tournament of the year, capturing the Fresno State Lexus Classic (Feb. 23-24) at the Copper River Country Club with a score of 891. It is the third tournament win of the year (Price’s “Give’Em Five” Invitational, Coast BMW Invitational) for the Anteaters and 16th in the program’s history. It is also the first time in program history that the Anteaters have won three tournaments in a single season.
The Pacific men’s golf program collected its first team title in six years at the 2009 Rice Intercollegiate Feb. 16-17. The Tigers fought their way back from 11-strokes down in the final round to lead the 15-team field with a score of 874 (296-290-288). Adding to its impressive feat, Pacific placed three players in the top 10 - Patrick Kucich (T3rd), T.J. Bordeaux (8th) and Charlie Van Sicklen (T9th).
Cal State Northridge’s Jarvey Claims Medalist Honors: Senior Erik Jarvey fired a final round (-1) 71 to finish regulation tied but won Individual Medalist honors on the first playoff hole and Cal State Northridge finished third at the Pat Hicks Thunderbird Invitational at Sunbrook Golf Club. Jarvey won a one-hole playoff with Washington State’s Nick Ellis to claim individual medalist honors. Ellis hit his tee shot out of bounds and Jarvey pared the extra hole to clinch the title. Northridge’s leading scorer coming out of the fall, Jarvey finished with rounds of 70-71 for a two-round (-3) 141.
Big West February Golfer Of The Month Announced: UC Irvine’s Hillary Packard earned Big West Women’s Golfer of the Month, while Pacific’s Patrick Kucich and Cal State Northridge’s Erik Jarvey were named Big West Men’s Co-Golfer of the Month for their efforts.
Packard won her first collegiate tournament after carding 218 at the Aztec Invitational. The Thousand Oaks, Calif., native shot a 68 on the first round which was the low round of the tournament and is tied for seventh as the lowest round in program history. Packard also led UC Irvine to a team title at the Fresno State Lexus Classic with a fourth place finish. She fired a 54-hole total of 216 (73-73-70), her lowest career total for three rounds. Packard led the field in par 5 scoring with a 4.50 mark and was tied for third in birdies with 11. The Anteaters have won three tournaments in 2008-09, marking the first time a team has won three events in a single season.
Kucich finished a career-best third place in leading the Tigers to their first team tournament victory in more than six years. His even-par 216 and two-under helped Pacific erase a 11-shot deficit going into the final round. Kucich then finished second for the Tigers at the USC Collegiate Invitational (Feb. 23-24) a week later, with a three-round score of 222.
Jarvey opened the spring season with his first win on the 2008-09 season after blasting a three-under-par score of 141 (70-71) at the Pat Hicks Thunderbird Invitational. His performance guided the Matadors to a third place team finish. In Cal State Northridge’s second event of the month, the Palmdale, Calif., native tied for 42nd at the All-American Intercollegiate as the Matadors went on to a sixth place finish.