No Ifs, Ands, or Putts!
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The Pacific Men’s Golf Team competed in the Nick Watney Golf Tournament in Fresno.
The University of the Pacific’s Men’s Golf Team participated in the Nick Watney Golf Tournament at Sunnyside Country Club in Fresno, on February 24 and 25, alongside 12 other colleges. Pacific’s team, represented by Carlos Astiazaran, Travis Robbie, Ian Fritz, Deitrek Gill, and Brasen Brione, competed in the two-day event. Freshman Briones makes his debut in the starting lineup, while sophomore Timothy Jung competed as an individual. This is the eleventh consecutive season the Tigers have competed in the Nick Watney Invitational.
After the first two rounds on Monday, Astiazaran had an impressive performance, shooting a nine-under-par with 12 birdies, earning him first place individually. His first round started strong with a five-under-par. Robbie also had an excellent day, shooting three-under-par in both rounds and scoring an eagle on Hole 15 in Round 2, placing him in fourth place individually. Alongside Robbie, Fritz also recorded an eagle on Hole 15 and finished the day with a three-under-par in Round 1. He ended with a one-under-par total after both rounds.
On Tuesday, the Tigers finished the day in a tie for sixth place overall, with two players in the top 20 individually. Astiazaran continued his stellar play, finishing the tournament with a ten-under-par over 54 holes, a remarkable achievement. This performance not only won him the Nick Watney Invitational but also made him the first player in Pacific Men’s Golf history to win two individual titles in a single season, having previously won the Leadership & Golf Collegiate Championship. He became the second Pacific golfer ever to win the Nick Watney Invitational, following Byron Meth’s victory in 2014.
"It was a great time in Fresno," Astiazaran said. "I was able to put together some solid rounds and being able to win is always a big bonus. We are excited for the rest of the season and look forward to playing the same golf we know we can play!"
The Tigers accumulated a total team score of 555 after the first two rounds of the tournament, which reflects the total number of strokes taken by all the players on the Pacific team across both rounds. The Tigers scored 277 in Round 1 and 278 in Round 2, showing consistency and solid play.
Overall, the Tigers finished third place in the tournament, trailing just two strokes behind the University of San Diego and Fresno State, who tied for first place.
Individual Leaderboard (80 Individuals)
1. Carlos Astiazaran (-10)
T14. Travis Robbie (-3)
T38. Ian Fritz (+5)
T42. Timothy Jung (+6)
T50. Brasen Briones (+9)
80. Deitrek Gill (+10)
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