May 18, 2007
NCAA West Regional Second-Round Results and Live Scoring, May 18, 2007
Final-Round Tee Times For NCAA West Region, May 19, 2007
Golfweek Day One Recap by Lance Ringler
Second-seeded UCLA, ranked eighth by Golfweek, seventh by Golf World and fourth by Golfstat, leads the field after the second round of the 27-team NCAA West Regional held at the ASU Karsten Golf Course (par 72/7,057 yards) with a 35-under 541 (268-273).
Sophomore Erik Flores, the first round leader, leads the Bruins with an 11-under 133 (64-69) and is tied for third while teammate Kevin Chappell is at 10-under 134 (66-68) and tied for fifth.
"I had six birdies today. The birdies are there, I just have to eliminate the bogeys," said Flores, a 2006 All-American and the 2006 Pac-10 Freshman of the Year. "My back nine (the course's front nine) was a little more difficult today."
Sun Devil sophomore Benjamin Alvarado Holley (67-65) and USC's Jamie Lovemark (69-63) are tied for the individual lead at 12-under 132.
The Bruins already have won five tournaments on the year, with victories at the Husky Invitational, Pac-10/Big Ten Challenge, Cougar Invitational, CS Bakersfield Invitational and the Southern Highlands Collegiate. They have made the NCAA Championship 28 times including each of the past four seasons (2003-06).
South Carolina, seeded 11th and ranked No. 33 by Golfweek and No. 36 by Golfstat, shot a 19-under 269 as three players shot 5-under 67 and another fired a 68. The Gamecocks are in second place, just one shot back of the Bruins with a 34-under 542 (273-269). Their best NCAA championship finish was eighth in 1988 and they are trying to make the field of 30 in back-to-back seasons for the first time since a four-year streak from 1996-99. Both Florian Fritsch (68-67) and George Bryan IV (68-67) are at 9-under 135 and are tied for seventh.
The top 10 teams and top two individuals not on those teams will advance to the 2007 NCAA Championships held in Williamsburg, Va., May 30-June 2 at Golden Horseshoe Golf Club (hosted by Virginia Commonwealth). Admission is free to the event. On Saturday (May 19), the third and final round begins play at 6:30 a.m. from both No. 1 and No. 10 tees with the last group teeing at 1:07 p.m. The leaders will tee off early. Live scoring of the tournament is available at www.golfstat.com.
Host Arizona State, a five-time champion of the West Regional and national champion in 1990 and 1996, is at 26-under 550 (275-275) and is tied for third with Pac-10 champion USC. Alvarado Holley shot a 7-under 65 after a 5-under 67 in the first round and is now 34-under par in his past 12 rounds.
"I am thrilled with the way Ben and Knut (Borsheim) are playing," said Sun Devil head coach Randy Lein, noting freshmen Knut Borsheim is tied for seventh at 9-under 135 (69-66). "I am very pleased with the team effort. Tristan (Bierenbroodspot) is making a lot of birdies."
Fourth-seeded USC, ranked fifth by Golfweek, also is at 26-under 550 with ASU and is led by tournament co-leader Jamie Lovemark's 12-under 132 (69-63). The Trojans are trying for their 49th NCAA Championship appearance and their first since a three-year streak from 2003-05.
Sun Devil senior Fredrik Andersson is at even-par 144 (68-76) after shooting a career-best 4-under 68 with five birdies in the first round and is tied for 79th.
ASU senior All-American Niklas Lemke is tied for 69th at 1-under 143 (71-72). Lemke, the 2007 National Invitational Tournament medalist (in Tucson on April 2-3) and 2006 Illini Invitational medalist (from the fall) has eight top-five finishes in 10 events on the year. Freshmen Tristan Bierenbroodspot also is at 1-under 143 (71-72) and has eight birdies and one eagle through two rounds.
Washington, ranked 35th by Golfweek and seeded 12th, made the biggest jump of the day moving up 10 spots as they are tied for fifth at 21-under 555 (284-271) with East Tennessee State (278-277). The Huskies finished third at 2005 NCAA Championship, have made eight straight NCAA Championship appearances, and are one of just five schools to notch the feat joining Arizona, Oklahoma State, Georgia and Georgia Tech. Washington has finished in the top 10 in each of the past three seasons at the NCAA Championships and has finished in the top-10 in regional play 10 times in 12 appearances, just missing with 11th-place appearances in 1991 and 1998. Joel Dahmen leads the Huskies at 9-under 135 (67-68) and is tied for seventh.
Fifth-seeded and 2007 Atlantic Sun Conference champion East Tennessee State shot an 11-under 277 and is even with Washington at 21-under 555 (278-277) and tied for fifth. ETSU has advanced to the final 15 times in its history and is trying to make back-to-back showings for the first time since an eight-year streak from 1994-2001. Seamus Power is tied for seventh at 9-under 135 (69-66).
Oregon State, ranked 60th by Golfweek and seeded 18th in the West Region, is trying to make the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2001 and is at 20-under 556 (281-275) led by James Allenby's 10-under 134 (66-68) as he is tied for fifth. This year marks the Beavers ninth NCAA Regional appearance in the last 15 years and they are trying to make the NCAA Championship for the ninth-time overall.
Stanford, the West Regional top seed and second-ranked team in the nation by the three major polls, shot an 8-under 280 (277-280) and is tied for eighth with Arizona and New Mexico at 19-under 557. The Cardinal is trying to make the NCAA Championship for the second time second time in the past 10 seasons (2005) as they have six wins in 11 tournaments on the year. They are a seven-time NCAA champion with last coming in 1994
Arizona, the 2006 Thunderbird Invitational champion who also tied with Florida for the 2006 West Regional title held in Tucson, shot 13-under 275 and is at 19-under 557 (282-275). The Wildcats, who won the 1992 national title under current head coach Rick LaRose, have made 20 straight NCAA championships, the second-best current streak behind Oklahoma State's run of 60, a Wildcat streak that started in 1987.
New Mexico is at 19-under 557 (275-82) with Arizona and Stanford in eighth. The Lobos, ranked No. 52 by Golfweek and seeded 17th, are trying to make their 40th appearance in the NCAA finals.
Lobo senior Charlie Beljan shot a career-best 65 in the first round Friday and is at 11-under 133 (65-68) and tied for third. Beljan shot a 15-under 201 (66-67-68) to win Karsten's ASU Thunderbird Invitational on April 13-15, his third tournament win on the year. Beljan is from nearby Mesa, Ariz., and a graduate of Red Mountain High School. He has a 70.72 stroke average and earned 2007 Mountain West Conference Player of the Year.
Southeastern Conference member Vanderbilt, seeded 13th and ranked 46th by Golfweek, has advanced to NCAA championships twice (2003 and 2004) and is at 17-under 559 (283-276) and 11th.
Third-seeded UNLV is at 14-under 562 (281-281) and is tied for 11th with California, Pepperdine and Wake Forest. The Runnin' Rebels are ranked ninth by Golfweek, won the 1998 national champion and are trying to reach their 17th NCAA Championship overall. They are also trying for their third straight for the first time since a 12-year streak from 1989-2000. UNLV also made the tournament in 2000, 2002-03 and 2005-06.
No. 15 seed Pepperdine shot a 3-under 285 and is at 14-under 562 (277-285). Head coach John Geiberger's Waves are making their 15th NCAA Regional appearance and their ninth straight. The Waves, ranked No. 41 by Golfweek, won the 2007 West Coast Conference title and won the 1997 national championship and are looking for their eighth NCAA trip overall with appearances in 1993, 1996-97, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2006. Carl Smith IV is leading the Waves at 6-under 66 and is tied for third.
Wake Forest, the winner of the past two East Regionals, also is at 14-under 562 (285-277) and tied for 12th. The eighth-seeded Deamon Deacons, ranked No. 21 by Golfweek, won the national titles in 1974, 1975 and 1986 and finished tied for third at last year's NCAA Championship. They are trying for their third straight finals appearance after posting four straight trips from 2000-03. Three of its current team members finished the in top 50 at last year's NCAA Championships.
California, ranked 54th by Golfweek and seeded 21st, is at 14-under 562 (280-282) and tied for 12th. Michael Jensen's 6-under 66 in the first round led Cal yesterday and he is at 7-under 137 (66-71). Cal won the 2004 NCAA title under current head coach Steve Desimone in its lone NCAA Championship appearance in the past six seasons and has made the finals eight times.
Sixth-seeded and 15th-ranked Brigham Young, the 2007 Mountain West Conference champion, is at 13-under 563 (283-280) and in 16th. The Cougars have made the NCAA finals the past three years and have reached the NCAA Championship 30 times. The have 10 top-five finishes and won the national title in 1981.
Colorado State, seeded 19th and ranked 65th Golfweek, is trying for its second NCAA Championship appearance, as the other trip was in 1999. The Rams are at 8-under 568 (284-284).
Augusta State, seeded 14th and ranked 40th by Golfweek, has made the NCAA finals nine times and is at 7-under 569 (284-285) and in 18th.
Oregon, the 2007 ASU Thunderbird Invitational Champion who shot a 20-under 844 to win the title April 13-15, is at 3-under 573 (292-81) and in 19th. The Ducks are seeded 20th and are ranked No. 57 by Golfweek.
WEST REGIONAL NOTES: ASU has won or tied for the NCAA West Regional title five times (2001, 1999, 1998, 1995 and 1991) and has won the event in three of the past nine seasons...Arizona in 1992 won the West Regional and then won the NCAA title...nine Pac-10 schools are competing in the West Regional...Golfweek rankings have nine of the top 22 teams playing in Tempe...the nation's top three players are in the field according to Golfweek with top-ranked Jamie Lovemark (USC), second-ranked Niklas Lemke (Arizona State) and third-ranked Rhys Davies (East Tennessee State)...24th-seeded Pennsylvania, ranked 165th by Golfweek, earned its trip with the the 2007 Ivy Group title...Detroit, seeded 25th, earned its fourth NCAA Regional appearance under the current format after winning the Horizon League Tournament...26th-seeded Bucknell, ranked 229th by Golfweek, earned its second straight regional appearance with its 2007 Patriot League champion and its fourth NCAA trip overall with championship appearances in 1957 and 1961...Monmouth, ranked No. 249 by Golfweek and seeded 27th, earned its first trip to a NCAA Regional with its 2007 Northeast Conference champion... tenth-seeded UC Irvine, ranked 38th by Golfweek, is at 1-over 577 (289-288). The Anteaters, the 2007 Big West Conference champion and also ranked 29th by Golfstat, are trying for their third NCAA Championship, as they reached the finals in 1992 and 2001.
NCAA WEST REGIONAL CHAMPIONS Year-Champ, Individual Champion 1989-Arizona, Robert Gamez (Arizona) 1990-UNLV, Hub Goyen (UNLV) 1991-ASU/UA, Warren Schutte, (UNLV) 1992-Arizona, Harry Rudolph (Arizona) 1993-Arizona, Manny Zerman (Arizona) 1994-UNLV, Edward Fryatt (UNLV) 1995-ASU, Mike Sauer (New Mexico) 1996-Stanford, Tiger Woods, (Stanford) 1997-UNLV , Aaron Oberholser (San Jose St.) 1998-ASU/UNM, Paul Casey (ASU) (Event held at ASU) 1999-ASU, Jeff Quinney (ASU) 2000-Arizona, Michael Beard (Pepperdine) 2001-ASU, Matt Jones (ASU) and Kyle Thompson (South Carolina) 2002-UNM/UW, Ricky Barnes (UA) and Justin Smith (Minnesota) 2003-UCLA, Michael Letzig (UNM) 2004-UCLA, Travis Johnson (UCLA) 2005-UNLV, Rob Grube (Stanford) 2006-Florida/UA, Billy Horschel (Florida) and Casey Watabu (Nevada)