With its best 18-hole score of the two-day, 54-hole Mountain West Men’s Golf Championships, a two-under par 286, San Jose State University finished in seventh place.
The Spartans began the final round in seventh place, but exchanged places with Fresno State and Wyoming throughout the day on the par 72, 7,194-yard Omni Tucson National golf course. Birdies on the 18th and final hole first by freshman Kristopher Stiles and sophomore Carl Corpus, the last two Spartans on the course, gave San Jose State an 873 team total to Fresno State’s 874 and Wyoming’s 875.
New Mexico captured the team championship winning a one-hole playoff over Nevada. Both teams tied for top honors after 54 holes at 845. San Diego State and UNLV tied for third at 850. Boise State, the leader at the start of the final round was fifth at 851. Colorado State was sixth at 864.
“I’m very proud of this group. It’s been a very hard semester and it’s really something when the freshmen, the rookies lead the way. The final push is a testament to the leadership on the team and I’m very proud of them,” said San Jose State men’s golf coach John Kennaday who had Stiles, Corpus, and Caleb Shetler playing in their first Mountain West Championship. Due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Corpus, Shelter and the rest of the 2020 San Jose State team did not have a conference championship tournament opportunity.
Corpus was the Spartans’ top individual finisher. With a final round 69 that included an eagle and four birdies, his three-under par 213 was good for a 14th place tie in the 55-player field.
Stiles, like Corpus, had a pair of under-par rounds in his first Mountain West Championship. After a rough start at two-over par after four holes, Stiles played bogey-free golf and made three birdies in 14 holes for a one-under par 71 to tie for 23rd place at one-over par 217.
San Jose State also counted the one-over par scores of Shetler and Nate Jetter in the final round for its 286 team score.
“I’m disappointed we were not in contention the last nine holes, but these guys fought hard all year. They learned a ton, obviously,” added the Spartans coach.
San Diego State’s Puwit Anupansuebsai captured Mountain West medalist honors winning a four-player playoff over Sam Choi of New Mexico, Hugo Townsend of Boise State, and Jack Trent of UNLV. Anupansuebsai birdied the second playoff hole after the four golfers finished regulation action at seven-under par 209.
San Jose State scores
- Carl Corpus 73-71-69-213
- Kristopher Stiles 76-70-71-217
- Caleb Shetler 72-78-73-223
- Sean Yu 76-73-76-225
- Nate Jetter 74-84-73-231