Feb. 8, 2008
Click here for a list of ASU men's golf all-time medalists
Following a solid showing in the first two days of the 18th annual Hawaii-Hilo Invitational, the men's golf team shot a final round 273 and locked up a second place tie. Leading the Sun Devils was freshman Jesper Kennegard who took over the tournament lead on the final day and finished with a 13-under 197 (68-63-66). Kennegard edged out fellow Pac-10 rivals from USC and Stanford to win the individual competition. Defending NCAA champion Stanford won the team title while USC tied with ASU for second.
"It feels great," Kennegard said. "I knew I was leading by one or two shots and if I parred or birdied the 18th hole, I would win it. It's not a very long hole and if you hit a good drive to the left of the fairway, you would probably reach it in two and make and easy birdie."
He followed his game plan to a tee and found his second shot stopping 10 feet from the final hole of the tournament.
Kennegard posted scores of 68-63-66 for a 13-under-par 197. Grube (65-67-67) and Kim (69-63-67) settled in at 11-under-par, 199 but their scores led Stanford to the team title.
He is the first Sun Devil freshman to win a tournament since Alejandro Canizares won the 2003 NCAA title and just the second in the past decade. Prior to Canizares winning the NCAA title and the National Invitational in 2003, freshman Paul Casey won the 1998 USC Southwestern Invitational, the Pac-10 title and the NCAA West Regional. Kennegard had one eagle, 14 birdies and 36 pars in 54 holes and was was 2-under on par-3 holes, 7-under on par fours and 5-under on par fives.
Following the first place finish, Sun Devil newcomer Stephen Gross finished eighth with an 8-under 202 (64-68-70). Sophomore Knut Borsheim tied for 17th with a 3-under 207 (71-70-66). Sophomore Braxton Marquez, playing in his first tournament as he joined the team this January, tied for 39th with a 2-over 212 (68-72-72) and senior Phil Telliard finished tied for 47th with a 3-over 213 (71-71-71).
Following their trip to Hawaii, the Sun Devils will return home and have a month to prepare for their next tournament. Next they travel to Las Vegas, March 6-8, for the Southern Highlands Invitational.
In fourth place was 2007 UHH Invitational winner Cameron Tringale of Georgia Tech. Tringale turned in scores of 65-67-68 for a 10-under-par, 200.
Three players were tied in fifth place including defending NCAA Division I Champion Jamie Lovemark. The sophomore from USC was tied for first place after two rounds but turned in an even-par 70 on the final day to finish at 9-under-par, 201.
Stanford took the team title with an 813. They were followed by Arizona State and USC (816), Georgia Tech (824), Texas Tech (829), Oregon State and Washington (832), Oregon (835), Texas Christian (839), UC Davis (844), Colorado (845), Santa Clara (846), Oklahoma (848), Kansas and Cal State Bakersfield (858), Hawaii Hilo (861), Pacific (866) and Hawaii Manoa (868).
Randy Lein's Medalists At Arizona State (1993-2008)
Jesper Kennegard (Fr.)-2008 Hawaii Hilo Intercollegiate
Benjamin Alvarado Holley-2007 NCAA West Regional
Niklas Lemke-2007 National Invitational Tournament
Niklas Lemke-2006 Illini Invitational
Pat Moore 2005 U.S. Intercollegiate
Alejandro Canizares-2005 Puerto Rico Classic
Alejandro Canizares-2005 Arizona/PING Intercollegiate
Alejandro Canizares-2004 Big Ten/Pac-10 Challenge
Alejandro Canizares-2004 ASU Thunderbird Invitational
Alejandro Canizares (Fr.)-2003 NCAA Championship
Alejandro Canizares (Fr.)-2003 National Invitational Tournament
Matt Jones-2001 NCAA West Regional
Jeff Quinney-2001 UNLV Rebel Classic
Paul Casey-2000 Pacific-10 Conference Championship
Paul Casey-2000 ASU Thunderbird/SAVANE Invitational
Jeff Quinney-1999 NCAA West Regional
Paul Casey-1999 Pacific-10 Conference Championship
Jeff Quinney-1999 ASU Thunderbird/SAVANE Invitational
Greg Padilla-1999 Topy Cup
Paul Casey (Fr.)-1998 NCAA West Regional
Paul Casey (Fr.)-1998 Pacific-10 Conference Championship
Paul Casey (Fr.)-1998 USC/Cleveland Southwest Invitational
Scott Johnson-1997 Pacific-10 Conference Championship
Chris Hanell-1997 Golf Digest Collegiate
Darren Angel (Fr.)-1995 Ping Preview
Todd Demsey-1995 ASU Thunderbird Intercollegiate
Chris Hanell-1995 Taylor Made/Big Island Intercollegiate
Todd Demsey-1994 U.S. Intercollegiate
Larry Barber-1994 ASU Thunderbird Intercollegiate
Todd Demsey-1994 Nike Southwestern Intercollegiate
Larry Barber-1994 Oregon Invitational
Todd Demsey-1993 NCAA Championship
Todd Demsey-1993 Taylor Made/Big Island