Waimea, Hawai'i----- San Jose State University senior Sean Yu's tie for fifth place highlighted the Spartans' 54-holes at the Amer Ari Invitational men's golf tournament.
One of six players in the 51-player field to be under par all three rounds, Yu shot a final round 70 following scores of 68 and 71 for a 209 total on the par 72, 6,875-yards Hapuna Golf Course. His fifth-place tie was his best of the early season and sixth top-five placing in his college golf career.
"He did great. It was fun watching him. He hit the ball very well today," San Jose State University men's golf John Kennaday said about Yu.
As a team, San Jose State finished fifth in the eight-team field. The Spartans totaled 870, eight shots better than Washington, sixth at 878. Besides Yu's 70, San Jose State counted Caleb Shetler's even par 72 and the 76's from Nate Jetter and Carl Corpus. The Spartans discarded Kristopher Stiles' 77 for its 294 team score on the final day.
Shetler, who finished with a 220 total, also placed in the top-25 tying for 23rd place at 220. Corpus was 26th at 222 and Stiles was 29th with a 223. Jetter and teammate Bryce Wortman, playing as an individual, tied for 35th at 228. Wortman had the second lowest Spartan score of the final 18, a non -counting one-under par 71.
"Everybody made progress. We're not happy with the results, but we're happy with the process and our understanding of the process," said San Jose State University men's golf coach John Kennaday about the team's first two tournaments of the season in a 10-day span.
Second-round leader Arizona State turned in the best five-man team score for the second day in a row, an 11-under par 277, for its first tournament win of the season with its 827 total.
Southern California at 839 was second. Georgia Tech and Oregon State tied for third at 854.
Arizona State's David Puig is leaving Hawai'I with medalist honors for the second time in nine days. Puig posted a final round 68, which included four consecutive birdies on holes 14 through 17, for a 203 total. He finished four shots ahead of teammate and first-round leader Blake Wagoner playing as an individual entry and Southern California's Sixian Guo with 207's.
The Spartans have a month off before returning to action March 8 and 9 at the Lamkin San Diego Classic in San Diego.
"We have an idea as a team what we're battling and what we've got to get better at to score," said Kennaday about the break between tournaments. "We need to make very good use of it, there's no doubt about it. Hopefully, the weather holds and we're able to get out and play a little more."
30th annual Amer Ari Invitational men's golf tournament
Hapuna Golf Course, Waimea, Hawaii
Par 72, 6,875 yards
Final 54-hole results
| Team scores |
|
| 1. Arizona State |
827 |
| 2. Southern California |
839 |
| 3. Georgia Tech |
854 |
| Oregon State |
854 |
| 5. San Jose State |
870 |
| 6. Washington |
878 |
| 7. Hawaii-Hilo |
935 |
| 8. Hawaii |
938 |
| Leading individuals |
|
| 1. David Puig, Arizona State |
67-68-68-203 (-13) |
| 2. Blake Wagoner, Arizona State (Ind.) |
63-71-73-207 (-9) |
| Sixian Guo, Southern California |
68-68-71-207(-9) |
| 4. Ryggs Johnson, Arizona State |
71-68-69-208 (-8) |
| 5. Sean Yu, San Jose State |
68-71-70-209 (-7) |
| Shane Ffrench, Southern California |
70-69-70-209 (-7) |
| More San Jose State scores |
|
| 23. Caleb Shetler |
74-74-72-220 (+4) |
| 26. Carl Corpus |
71-75-76-222 (+6) |
| 29. Kristopher Stiles |
74-72-77-223 (+7) |
| 35. Nate Jetter |
80-72-76-228 (+12) |
| 35. Bryce Wortman (ind.) |
76-81-71-228 (+12) |
| (ind.) – played as an individual entry |
|
