Sept. 10, 2013
Pullman, Wash. - With a final round 68, sophomore Cody Blick earned co-medalist honors at the Itani Quality Homes Collegiate on Tuesday afternoon. The win is the first of Blick's collegiate career and marks the first time the 2013 WAC Player of the Year has recorded three rounds in the 60s.
"This is a great win for Cody," said head coach John Kennaday. "He's been on the verge of this type of result for a while and I couldn't be happier for him."
At five under, Blick entered the final round tied for the lead with Washington State's Blake Snyder. Blick teed off on the 7,247-yard, par 70 Palouse Ridge Golf Club at 8:06 a.m.
He recorded birdies on the second and the 589-yard par 5 fifth holes, but a pair of bogeys left him at even par for his outward nine. Coming home he parred holes 10 through 14 before finishing with a birdie on 15 and another on the 551-yard par 5 18th. He signed for a two-under 68, a three-round total of 203 (-7), had the lead in the clubhouse and a wait to see what the rest of the field would do.
Snyder, teeing off an hour and 30 minutes after Blick, shot an identical 68. He had two birdies and two bogeys on the front and a pair of birdies on the back. His 203 total score tied Blick and earned him a share of the title.
"We were behind the 18th hole following the scores on Golfstat," said Blick. "It was hard to keep my nerves in check waiting for the round to finish, but I was really glad to have the team around me.
"This feeling is awesome and I don't really think it has completely sunk in. My ball striking throughout the tournament was my strength. I had a hard time on the greens. I just couldn't seem to make any putts."
TEAM MOVES UP TWO SPOTS FOR A FIFTH PLACE FINISH
Starting the day in seventh place, San José State improved its team standing by two spots. They shot a 283 (+3), the best team score of their three rounds, and moved ahead of both Chico State and Santa Clara and finished in fifth place.
Washington State, the tournament host, earned the win with a 54-hole total 836 (-4). It is the fourth time in the five-year history of the Itani Quality Homes Collegiate that the Cougars have won the tournament. The only year they failed to take home the team title was 2011, when San José State was the champion.
Daniel Semmler entered the final round at four-over and in a tie for 30th place. He had birdie on the par 5 fifth, but three bogeys on the sixth, seventh and eighth left him at two over at the turn. On the backside he picked up another birdie and a pair of bogeys for a three over 70 and a 54-hole total of 217 (+7). He finished the day where he started, in a tie for 30th.
Landon Polterock made the biggest move of the day for the Spartans improving from a tie for 53rd place to a tie for 34th. He went out in 37 (+2) with a birdie and three bogeys. After a bogey on 13, he was at three over for the day, but he got one back with a birdie on 15 and closed out the tournament with a birdie on the par 5 551-yard 18th. He carded a one-over 71 for the day and a three-round total of 218 (+8).
Justin Estrada bounced back from a 77 in round two with a 71 and moved from 60th to 46th place overall. He opened with a bogey on the first, but then came right back with an eagle on the par 4 379-yard second. A bogey on the fourth and birdie on the fifth and he made the turn at one under. He had three birdies on the backside, but a pair of double bogeys and another bogey got him to the clubhouse at 71 and a total of 220 (+10).
Taylor Bromley recorded three birdies, all on the back nine, but carded an 81 and finished the tournament in 79th place with a 54-hole score of 232.
The Spartans are right back on the course competing next Monday and Tuesday, September 16 & 17, in the Wolverine Intercollegiate in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Itani Quality Homes Collegiate
Palouse Ridge Golf Club, Pullman, Wash.
7,247 yards, Par 70
54-hole Results
Team Results
1. Washington State - 836 (-4)
2. Cal State Fullerton - 837 (-3)
3. Sacramento State - 842 (+2)
4. Idaho - 847 (+7)
5. San José State - 856 (+16)
T6. Santa Clara - 857 (+17)
T6. Chico State - 857 (+17)
8. Gonzaga - 863 (+23)
9. Boise State - 869 (+29)
10. British Columbia - 870 (+30)
11. Utah Valley - 873 (+33)
12. Seattle - 879 (+39)
Individual Results
T1. Cody Blick, San José State - 67, 68, 68 - 302 (-7)
T1. Blake Snyder, Washington State - 69, 66, 68 - 203 (-7)
T3. Mark Anguiano, Cal State Fullerton - 70, 69, 65 - 204 (-6)
T3. Owen Taylor, Sacramento State - 68, 68, 68 - 204 (-6)
T5. Jared du Toit, Idaho - 69, 69, 69 - 207 (-3)
T5. Corey Gard, Cal State Fullerson - 66, 70, 71 - 207 (-3)
T5. Ryan Telrault, Cal State Fullerton - 72, 67, 68 - 207 (-3)
San José State Results
T1. Cody Blick - 67, 68, 68 - 203 (-7)
T30. Daniel Semmler - 70, 74, 73 - 217 (+7)
T34. Landon Polterock - 76, 71, 71 - 218 (+8)
T46. Justin Estrada - 72, 77, 71 - 220 (+10)
79. Taylor Bromley - 76, 75, 81 - 232 (+22)