Sophomores Mitch Martin of Cal Poly and Izzy Leung of Hawai‘i turned in the best performances of their collegiate careers in capturing Big West Men’s and Women’s Golfer of the Month honors for September.
Martin Finishes As Runner-Up at Nick Watney Invitational
Cal Poly sophomore Mitch Martin (San Luis Obispo, Calif./Arroyo Grande HS) posted a career-best finish at the inaugural Nick Watney Invitational to help him earn Big West September Men’s Golfer of the Month honors.
Martin carded a career-tying low round of 68 as he finished one stroke behind individual champion Byron Meth, who shot a 10-under-par 54-hole 206 total. Martin, who also recorded rounds of 70 and 69, finished at 207 on the 6,950-yard, par-72 Sunnyside Country Club course.
The 207 total is Martin’s career best for 54 holes. He now has five career rounds in the 60s. Martin helped the Mustangs tie for third with UC Irvine and Santa Clara among the 10-team field.
Martin also competed in the Saint Mary’s Invitational earlier in the month, and placed 13th among 92 golfers. He registered rounds of 73, 73 and 71 for a 54-hole aggregate of one-over-par 217. Martin was the top finisher for the Mustangs, which came in 11th place to open the season at the Bayonet and Black Horse Golf Course on the Monterey Peninsula. Martin had five birdies for the tournament.
Others nominated: Kevin Techakanoboon (Long Beach State); Luke Vivolo (UC Davis); Pete Fernandez (UC Irvine)
Leung Claims First Individual Title For Hawai‘i In Eight Years
Hawai‘i sophomore Izzy Leung (Shatin, Hong Kong/Shatin College) captured her first career collegiate title, and the first for the school in eight years as the recipient of the Big West September Women’s Golfer of the Month award.
Leung earned individual medalist honors at the season-opening Oregon State Invitational. She was the only golfer in the tournament to produce a score under par as she finished with a one-under total of 215, three strokes ahead of runner-up Anica Yoo from host Oregon State.
To aid her cause, Leung fired a career-low 67 in the opening round. She followed up with rounds of 75 and 73 over the final 36 holes.
Leung’s victory was the first by a UH golfer since Dale Gammie claimed the Heather Farr Memorial in 2006.
She concluded the month with a top-10 finish at the Wyoming Cowgirl Desert Intercollegiate. Leung entered the final round in a tie for third before settling into a tie for 10th with a total of 229 (74-74-81). It was the Shatin, Hong Kong native’s fifth career top-10 finish.
As a team, Hawai‘i finished seventh at the Oregon State Invitational and eighth at the Cowgirl Desert Intercollegiate.
Others nominated: Madison Hirsch (Cal Poly); Tisha Alyn Abrea (Cal State Fullerton); Andrea Wong (UC Davis); Samantha Chan (UC Irvine); Savannah Vilaubi (UC Riverside)