April 9, 2006
Complete Results in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Tempe, Ariz. -- Arizona junior Henry Liaw shot an 11-under 202 (66-69-67) and finished second as the Arizona Wildcats shot a 22-under 830 (278-280-272) and won the 34th annual Arizona State Thunderbird Invitational Sunday at the ASU Karsten Golf Course (par-71/7,017 yards). Arizona came back from nine strokes on the final day to top second-round leaders UNLV and San Diego State.
Kansas State's Ben Kern shot a 14-under 199 (69-65-65) to set the tournament record for low score and take home medalist honors. Kern led after the second round by one stroke over three players and then shot another 65 in the final round for the win. He is the first player in 34-year tournament history to shoot under 200.
UNLV (279-270-282) finished second at 21-under 831. The Rebels, who won the Thunderbird last year with a 7-over 859 (274-289-296) in windy conditions, and San Diego State (277-272-286) both shot 19-under 549 through 36 holes on Saturday to take the two-round lead by nine strokes over Arizona and Kansas State. San Diego State finished at 17-under 835 and tied for third with Kansas State (287-271-277).
Host Arizona State, who has won the tournament five of the past eight years (1999-2001 and 2003-2004) and 13 times overall, finished sixth at 11-under 841 (283-277-281). ASU was without the services of freshman Benjamin Alvarado Holley, who missed the tournament with an injury (strained tendons in left hand). Holley has a 72.90 stroke average in seven events on the year, currently the seventh-best freshman scoring average in Sun Devil history.
Sun Devil junior All-American Niklas Lemke shot a 5-under 208 (67-69-72) to finish tied for sixth.
Freshman Erik Coover shot a 1-under 212 (71-73-68), as he eagled the par-4 18th hole in the final round. His 68 in the final round is his lowest on the year (nine rounds), as he shot a 69 in the second round of the National Invitational Tournament in Tucson on March 27. He finished tied for 19th.
Sophomore Phil Telliard shot par (213) and finished tied for 24th, which included a collegiate-best 68 in the second round (75-68-70).
Senior All-American Alejandro Canizares (72-70-71) also finished even at 213. Canizares, who tied the tournament record in 2004 with a 16-under 200 (65-66-69), was trying to become just the second two-time champion of the Invitational, joining Phil Mickelson who won medalist honors in 1991 and 1992. Canizares has six tournament championships in his three-year career.
Senior Lenny Park shot a 7-over 220 (73-70-77) and tied for 52nd.
ASU also fielded a four-man maroon that could not qualify for the team score due to senior Charly Simon (73-74) withdrawing due to back spasms prior to the final round. Junior Fredrik Andersson (73-72-75) finished at 7-over 220, freshman Steele DeWald (78-70-74) finished 60th at 9-over 222 and freshman Ryan Kelly shot 19-over 232 (78-78-76).
NOTES: Ben Kern of Kansas State and Aaron Goldberg of San Diego State both shot tournament low rounds of 65 in the second round, then Kern followed it up with another 65 on Sunday...UNLV's 14-under 270 in the second round was the low team round of the tournament. All four Rebel scores that counted were in the 60s...six conferences were represented at the tournament, as there were five schools from the Pac-10, two from the SEC, one from Conference USA, three from the Mountain West, two from the Big Ten and two from the Big 12...Arizona only other Thunderbird Invitational championship was in 1993.
PAST THUNDERBIRD INVITATIONAL CHAMPIONS: Notable past champions of the event include Scott Simpson of USC (1975), Corey Pavin of UCLA (1979), 1983 NCAA champion Jim Carter of Arizona State (1984), Phil Mickelson of Arizona State (1991 and 1992), 1993 NCAA champion Todd Demsey of Arizona State (1995), 2000 U.S. Amateur champion Jeff Quinney of Arizona State (1999) and 1999 and 2000 English Amateur champion and three-time Pac-10 champion Paul Casey of Arizona State (2000), who also earned 2001 European Rookie of the Year honors.
NEXT UP FOR ASU: ASU next competes in the Pac-10 Championship April 24-26 at Palm Desert, Calif. It has won the Pac-10 title 11 times, including six straight championships from 1995-2000. The NCAA West Regional will be held May 18-20 in Tucson while the NCAA Championships will be held May 31-June 3 in Sunriver, Ore. ASU is a five-time champion of the NCAA West Regional and won the 1990 and 1996 NCAA championship.
FINAL RESULTS ASU Thunderbird Invitational Karsten Course Tempe, AZ Dates: 04/08 - 04/09 (Today:04-09-2006) Par: 71 Yardage: 7017
Fin. School Scores 1 Arizona, U. of 278 280 272 830 -22 2 UNLV 279 270 282 831 -21 3 San Diego State U. 277 272 286 835 -17 Kansas State Univ. 287 271 277 835 -17 5 Stanford University 283 276 279 838 -14 6 Arizona State U. 283 277 281 841 -11 7 Illinois, U. of 285 282 287 854 +2 8 UCF 291 290 280 861 +9 9 Colorado State Univ. 283 297 283 863 +11 10 California, U. of 287 285 292 864 +12 11 South Carolina 288 289 292 869 +17 12 Texas Tech Univ. 284 289 298 871 +19 13 Arkansas, U. of 294 293 286 873 +21 14 Oregon, U. of 294 289 294 877 +25 15 Penn State U. 302 300 307 909 +57
Fin. Name School Scores 1 Ben Kern Kansas St. 69 65 65 199 -14 2 Henry Liaw Arizona 66 69 67 202 -11 3 Brian Prouty Arizona 70 68 67 205 -8 4 Rob Grube Stanford 71 67 68 206 -7 5 Aaron Goldberg SanDiegoSt 70 65 72 207 -6 6 Niklas Lemke Arizona St 67 69 72 208 -5 David Palm SanDiegoSt 70 66 72 208 -5 8 Andres Gonzales UNLV 71 68 70 209 -4 Joey Benedetti Oregon 72 68 69 209 -4 Blake Trimble UNLV 69 70 70 209 -4 11 Zack Miller Stanford 71 70 69 210 -3 Sevng-Su Han UNLV 69 66 75 210 -3 Michael Jensen California 69 69 72 210 -3 *Ben Fox Arizona 67 69 74 210 -3 15 Jared Texter UNLV 77 67 67 211 -2 Santiago Rivas Texas Tech 67 78 66 211 -2 Scott MacDonald Stanford 70 70 71 211 -2 Greg Forest UCF 71 72 68 211 -2 19 Andrew Scott SanDiegoSt 70 71 71 212 -1 Sonny Nimkhum UCF 71 69 72 212 -1 Erik Coover Arizona St 71 73 68 212 -1 Tyler Cummins Kansas St. 75 67 70 212 -1 Josh Warthen SanDiegoSt 67 73 72 212 -1 24 Mark Ogren Illinois 73 70 70 213 E Alejandro Canizares Arizona St 72 70 71 213 E Phillip Telliard Arizona St 75 68 70 213 E Kyle Hosick Illinois 71 70 72 213 E 28 Robert Streb Kansas St. 74 69 71 214 +1 Florian Fritsch S Carolina 71 67 76 214 +1 Nathan Tyler Arizona 73 71 70 214 +1 Cory Segall SanDiegoSt 73 70 71 214 +1 32 Matt Bortis Arkansas 71 74 70 215 +2 Erik Johansen S Carolina 69 76 70 215 +2 Zen Brown Col. St. 74 72 69 215 +2 Travis Esway Arizona 69 77 69 215 +2 Frank Alafoginis Illinois 73 71 71 215 +2 37 Derrick Whiting Col. St. 70 76 70 216 +3 Oscar Floren Texas Tech 72 69 75 216 +3 Josh Farrell Arkansas 72 72 72 216 +3 C.J. Gatto UNLV 70 69 77 216 +3 Matthew Savage Stanford 71 69 76 216 +3 42 Daniel Lim Stanford 74 72 71 217 +4 *Dodge Kemmer Stanford 70 73 74 217 +4 44 Romain Payet California 71 77 70 218 +5 Giwon Suh UCF 75 76 67 218 +5 Eric Shriver Arkansas 76 73 69 218 +5 Nate Pettitt Col. St. 70 75 73 218 +5 Joe Kinney Kansas St. 70 77 71 218 +5 *Trey Denton Arizona 71 71 76 218 +5 50 Patrick Nagle Illinois 68 73 78 219 +6 Aaron Weston Col. St. 70 74 75 219 +6 52 Fredrik Andersson ASU Maroon 73 72 75 220 +7 Robert Rohanna Penn State 71 74 75 220 +7 Blair Harkins Illinois 75 71 74 220 +7 Lenny Park Arizona St 73 70 77 220 +7 56 Michael Wilson California 73 74 74 221 +8 Kyle Yonke Kansas St. 74 70 77 221 +8 Gregg LaVoie Oregon 74 72 75 221 +8 George Gandranata California 74 68 79 221 +8 60 Steele DeWald ASU Maroon 78 70 74 222 +9 61 Josh Esler Arizona 82 72 69 223 +10 Patrick Cunning S Carolina 80 72 71 223 +10 *Justin St. Clair Oregon 73 77 73 223 +10 64 Andrew Dresser Texas Tech 71 71 82 224 +11 65 Derek Sipe Oregon 77 73 75 225 +12 Freddy Wolfe California 75 74 76 225 +12 Scotty Campbell Arkansas 76 74 75 225 +12 Mark Anderson S Carolina 71 79 75 225 +12 Kyle Davis UCF 75 73 77 225 +12 70 Greg Pieczynski Penn State 75 75 76 226 +13 *Billy Whalen Arizona 74 74 78 226 +13 72 Stefan Wistorf UCF 74 81 73 228 +15 Chris Dukemimier Oregon 77 76 75 228 +15 Jordan Payne Arkansas 75 77 76 228 +15 Allen Koon S Carolina 77 74 77 228 +15 76 Jake Younan-Wise Texas Tech 74 73 82 229 +16 77 Mitch Van Zelfosn Penn State 75 78 78 231 +18 78 Ryan Kelley ASU Maroon 78 78 76 232 +19 Dustin Pewarchuk Oregon 71 83 78 232 +19 80 *Erick Thorson California 82 75 76 233 +20 81 Brandon Lakatta Texas Tech 83 76 75 234 +21 82 Harvin Groft Penn State 84 75 78 237 +24 83 Chad Bricker Penn State 81 76 87 244 +31 WD Kevin McAlpine Col. St. 73 WD 71 WD Charly Simon ASU Maroon 73 74 WD
1 Arizona, U. of 278 280 272 830 2 Henry Liaw 66 69 67 202 3 Brian Prouty 70 68 67 205 T 28 Nathan Tyler 73 71 70 214 T 32 Travis Esway 69 77 69 215 T 61 Josh Esler 82 72 69 223
2 UNLV 279 270 282 831 T 8 Andres Gonzales 71 68 70 209 T 8 Blake Trimble 69 70 70 209 T 11 Sevng-Su Han 69 66 75 210 T 15 Jared Texter 77 67 67 211 T 37 C.J. Gatto 70 69 77 216
T 3 San Diego State U. 277 272 286 835 5 Aaron Goldberg 70 65 72 207 T 6 David Palm 70 66 72 208 T 19 Andrew Scott 70 71 71 212 T 19 Josh Warthen 67 73 72 212 T 28 Cory Segall 73 70 71 214
T 3 Kansas State Univ. 287 271 277 835 1 Ben Kern 69 65 65 199 T 19 Tyler Cummins 75 67 70 212 T 28 Robert Streb 74 69 71 214 T 44 Joe Kinney 70 77 71 218 T 56 Kyle Yonke 74 70 77 221
5 Stanford University 283 276 279 838 4 Rob Grube 71 67 68 206 T 11 Zack Miller 71 70 69 210 T 15 Scott MacDonald 70 70 71 211 T 37 Matthew Savage 71 69 76 216 T 42 Daniel Lim 74 72 71 217
6 Arizona State U. 283 277 281 841 T 6 Niklas Lemke 67 69 72 208 T 19 Erik Coover 71 73 68 212 T 24 Alejandro Canizares 72 70 71 213 T 24 Phillip Telliard 75 68 70 213 T 52 Lenny Park 73 70 77 220
7 Illinois, U. of 285 282 287 854 T 24 Mark Ogren 73 70 70 213 T 24 Kyle Hosick 71 70 72 213 T 32 Frank Alafoginis 73 71 71 215 T 50 Patrick Nagle 68 73 78 219 T 52 Blair Harkins 75 71 74 220
8 UCF 291 290 280 861 T 15 Greg Forest 71 72 68 211 T 19 Sonny Nimkhum 71 69 72 212 T 44 Giwon Suh 75 76 67 218 T 65 Kyle Davis 75 73 77 225 T 72 Stefan Wistorf 74 81 73 228
9 Colorado State Univ. 283 297 283 863 T 32 Zen Brown 74 72 69 215 T 37 Derrick Whiting 70 76 70 216 T 44 Nate Pettitt 70 75 73 218 T 50 Aaron Weston 70 74 75 219 WD Kevin McAlpine 73 WD 71
10 California, U. of 287 285 292 864 T 11 Michael Jensen 69 69 72 210 T 44 Romain Payet 71 77 70 218 T 56 Michael Wilson 73 74 74 221 T 56 George Gandranata 74 68 79 221 T 65 Freddy Wolfe 75 74 76 225
11 South Carolina 288 289 292 869 T 28 Florian Fritsch 71 67 76 214 T 32 Erik Johansen 69 76 70 215 T 61 Patrick Cunning 80 72 71 223 T 65 Mark Anderson 71 79 75 225 T 72 Allen Koon 77 74 77 228
12 Texas Tech Univ. 284 289 298 871 T 15 Santiago Rivas 67 78 66 211 T 37 Oscar Floren 72 69 75 216 64 Andrew Dresser 71 71 82 224 76 Jake Younan-Wise 74 73 82 229 81 Brandon Lakatta 83 76 75 234
13 Arkansas, U. of 294 293 286 873 T 32 Matt Bortis 71 74 70 215 T 37 Josh Farrell 72 72 72 216 T 44 Eric Shriver 76 73 69 218 T 65 Scotty Campbell 76 74 75 225 T 72 Jordan Payne 75 77 76 228
14 Oregon, U. of 294 289 294 877 T 8 Joey Benedetti 72 68 69 209 T 56 Gregg LaVoie 74 72 75 221 T 65 Derek Sipe 77 73 75 225 T 72 Chris Dukemimier 77 76 75 228 T 78 Dustin Pewarchuk 71 83 78 232
15 Penn State U. 302 300 307 909 T 52 Robert Rohanna 71 74 75 220 T 70 Greg Pieczynski 75 75 76 226 77 Mitch Van Zelfosn 75 78 78 231 82 Harvin Groft 84 75 78 237 83 Chad Bricker 81 76 87 244
DNF Arizona State Maroon 302 294 DNF T 52 Fredrik Andersson 73 72 75 220 60 Steele DeWald 78 70 74 222 T 78 Ryan Kelley 78 78 76 232 WD Charly Simon 73 74 WD
Fin. Individuals School Scores
T 11 Ben Fox Arizona 67 69 74 210 T 42 Dodge Kemmer Stanford 70 73 74 217 T 44 Trey Denton Arizona 71 71 76 218 T 61 Justin St. Clair Oregon 73 77 73 223 T 70 Billy Whalen Arizona 74 74 78 226 80 Erick Thorson California 82 75 76 233
THUNDERBIRD INVITATIONAL BEST SCORES TEAM TOTAL SCORE 1. Arizona State 43-under 821 in 2004 2. Arizona State 40-under 824 in 2003 3. Arizona 22-under 830 in 2006 4. UNLV 21-under 831 in 2006 T5. Arizona 32-under 832 in 2004 T5. USC 32-under 832 in 2003 T5. Texas 32-under 832 in 2002
INDIVIDUAL TOTAL SCORE 1. Ben Kern (Kansas State) 14-under 199 in 2006 T2. Alejandro Canizares (Arizona State) 16-under 200 in 2004 T2. Bret Guetz (TCU) 16-under 200 in 2002 T4. David Schultz (TCU) 15-under 201 in 2003 T4. Jeff Quinney (Arizona State) 15-under 201 in 1999 T6. Henry Liaw (Arizona) 11-under 202 in 2006 T6. Ryan Moore (UNLV) 14-under 202 in 2004 T6. Aaron Bengoechea (Pacific) 14-under 202 in 1989 T9. Chez Reavie (Arizona State) 13-under 203 in 2004 T9. John Klauk (Texas) 13-under 203 in 2002