Golf tees off spring season

Clifton Jones

Sacramento State men’s golf finished its first invitational Monday at the Folino Men’s Invitational in the City of Industry. As a team, the Hornets finished fifth with a score of 42-over-par 297-296-313, 906. 

Senior golfer Ryan Williams finished tied for first place after losing in the second playoff hole. 

Williams was alone in first place after the second round of the invitational, but he finished the third round with a 3-over-par, 75. Williams’ 54-hole total score was a 2-under-par 69-70-75, 214, making it his third lowest score of the season.  

The senior golfer finished the invitational with 13 birdies, nine bogeys and one double- bogey.  

“It would have been nice to win, but it doesn’t mean I am a better or worse player,” Williams said. 

Junior Jordan Weir finished the invitational tied for 24th place with three other golfers. Weir finished the 54 holes with a score of 14-over-par 75-76-79, 230. 

Weir was tied for 19th place at the end of the second round, but he ended the third round with a 7-over-par. 

Junior Jordan Swanson competed at the Folino Men’s Invitational and finished tied for 27th place. Swanson shot a 54 hole total 77-78-79, 233. The junior’s second round was his best round, collecting two birdies, four bogeys and one double bogey. 

Swanson said the course was in good condition, but it was a little uneven in a few holes.

“A few holes can be unfair and punish good shots, which gets really frustrating,” Swanson said. “Overall, it was a good course.”

Swanson’s first two rounds were good with only four holes of those two rounds setting his score back. 

Swanson says he needs to sharpen his iron play, but every thing else was solid. 

The only freshman in the field for the Hornets, Aaron Beverly, couldn’t really find the hole all three days. Beverly’s 54 hole total was a 20-over-par 76-75-85, 236. 

The freshman golfer collected seven birdies, 15 bogeys, two double bogeys and two quadruple bogeys. Beverly’s second round was his best round of the invitational, only gathering three bogeys, one birdie and one double bogey. 

Swanson is looking forward to having a chance to play a really strong field, including the number one team in the country, UC Berkeley, at the Fresno State Lexus Classic. 

“I think we just need to keep doing what we’re doing, work on tightening a couple of our shots up and stay patient that the good scores will eventually come for us,” Swanson said.

Sac State men’s golf plays again at the Fresno State Lexus Classic at the Fort Washington Country Club on March 3-4.

 


Women’s golf finishes sixth at Folino Invitational

During the Hornets’ first tournament of the spring season, Sacramento State women’s golf finished sixth in the Folino Women’s Invitational, Monday in the City of Industry. The Hornets scored a 54 hole total 79-over-par 315-307-309, 931, with sophomore Sagee Palavivatana and junior Tiffany Nichols finishing individually in the top 10. 

Palavivatana finished fifth overall, individually scoring a 12-over-par 76-74-75, 225. She wrapped up the three days of the invitational by collecting one eagle, four birdies, 16 bogeys and a double bogey. 

Palavivatana’s only eagle came in the first hole of the third round and her 54-hole score is the lowest score of her season so far. 

After 54 holes, Nichols tied for ninth place, scoring a 15-over-par 79-75-74, 228. At the beginning of the third round, Nichols was tied for 14th place, but jumped up five spots in the end. 

Nichols collected six birdies, 16 bogeys, one double bogey and one triple bogey.

Sophomore Lexie Hall finished the invitational with a 22-over-par 77-79-79, 235. Hall finished the third round 8-over-par, dropping from being tied for 19th place to 24th place. 

The sophomore pulled together five birdies, 19 bogeys and four double bogeys. Out of Hall’s 19 bogeys, 10 of those bogeys came in the third round. 

Junior golfer Lisa Persson finished an uncharacteristic 30-over-par 83-79-81, 243, giving her the worst 54 hole score of the season. 

Persson’s first and third rounds were her worst, scoring in the double-digits over par. She was able to score four birdies, 15 bogeys, three double bogeys, two triple bogeys and one quadruple bogey. 

Sac State women’s golf plays again on Monday Feb. 25th at the Anteater Invitational in Santa Ana, Calif.

 

Clifton can be reached on Twitter at @jonesSHsports