Big West Championship Moves To Central Coast: After five years at Tijeras Creek Golf Club in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., the Big West Men’s and Women’s Golf Championship will move to San Luis Obispo, Calif. this upcoming season. Cal Poly is set to host the 2009 Big West Championship at the San Luis Obispo County Club April 20-21.
UC Irvine Men Go International To Open Season: UC Irvine men’s golf team was one of four U.S. teams selected to compete in the 26th annual Topy Cup at Tanagura Country Club in Tanagura, Japan, next Tuesday through Thursday (Sept. 9-11). The Anteaters will be joined by American counterparts Charlotte, Lamar and New Mexico in the field that includes eight Japanese teams. Eighteen holes will be played each day. UCI Irvine’s lineup is expected to be junior John Chin, senior Sean Shahi, freshman Michael Im, sophomore Bryan Harris and senior Cean Hayashi Geronimo. Tohoku Fukushi University has won the last three tournament titles and Japanese schools have captured 13 of the last 17 championships. New Mexico was the last U.S. school to win, placing first in the 2004 tournament.
Long Beach State Welcomes New Head Coach: Bill Poutre was named the eighth head men's golf coach at Long Beach State as he replaced Bob Livingstone, who retired after 14 years at Long Beach State. Poutre spent the past four years as the head coach at the University of Hartford, where he turned the Hawks into one of the strongest programs on the east coast. During his four year reign at Hartford, the team's national ranking improved by nearly 120 spots. The Hawks won three regular season tournaments, two conference championships and advanced to the 2007 NCAA Division I East Regionals.
Northridge’s Delio Shines During Summer Break: Nick Delio, who recently completed his freshman season at Cal State Northridge, took home the 97th California Amateur Championship on June 21after defeating Austin Roberts 7 and 5 at Lakeside Golf Club. Delio becomes the third Northridge golfer to win the California Amateur Championship. Former Matadors Jeff Sanday won the title in 1995 and Tim Hogarth won in 1999. Delio is the first Northridge player to win while still in school as Sanday and Hogarth both won after graduating from Northridge.
Matadors Presence Felt at Los Angeles Event: Cal State Northridge senior Katrina Sutton and recent graduate Lucy Davies both finished in the top 15 at the City of Los Angeles Women’s Golf Championship held July 12-13 at Rancho Park Golf Club. Sutton finished in a tie for eighth at 151 after solid rounds of 76-75. Sutton tied with two other golfers at 151. Davies, who concluded her career at CSUN this past spring, finished with rounds of 81-74 to tie for 13th place. Lady Samson, who comes to Northridge this fall, tied for 30th at 165 (85-80) and Sarah Windsor, a junior from Valencia, Calif., finished 37th at 173 (92-81).
Pacific’s Van Sicklen Wins Local Tournament to Close Out Summer Season: Pacific senior Charlie Van Sicklen fired a final round 63 at Swenson Golf Course to win the Stockton City Tournament on Sunday, August 3. Van Sicklen combined an opening round 74 at Van Buskirk on Saturday to shoot a 137 at the annual event. Van Sicklen’s win comes on the heels of two of his teammates, Alex Grieb and TJ Bordeaux, who earned qualifier spots to play in the U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst.
A Look Back At The 2008 Championship: For the second consecutive year, UC Irvine swept the 2008 Big West Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships in a close race to the finish with UC Davis. The Anteater men shot a blistering 10-under par in the final round to pull away to a six-stroke victory while the Anteater women, who won their fourth title in a row, held off the late charging Aggies. On the men’s side, Cal State Northridge finished in third place after posting a 9-over 873. Pacific came in fourth place (878), UC Santa Barbara was fifth (885) and UC Riverside sixth (888). Cal Poly and Long Beach State rounded out the men’s standings. For the women, Cal State Northridge replicated its finish on the men’s side, placing third at 938. Cal Poly (941), Long Beach State (942) and UC Riverside (947) rounded out the women’s standings.
UC Irvine, UC Davis Dominate Top Honors In 2008: UC Irvine’s John Chin was named 2008 Big West Men’s Golfer of the Year while his coach, Paul Smolinski earned the distinct honor of coach of the year. Cal State Northridge’s Nick Delio picked up freshman of the year honors. On the women’s side, UC Davis’ Chelsea Stelzmiller was tabbed Big West Women’s Golfer of the Year and Freshman of the Year. Anteater head coach Julie Brooks received coach of the year accolades.