March 4, 2008

Complete Results in PDF Format

The eighth-ranked USC men's golf team held off a charging Tennessee squad and captured its own USC Collegiate Invitational by 4 strokes over the No. 10 Volunteers on Tuesday (March 4) at North Ranch Country Club in Westlake Village, Calif.

USC freshman Tim Sluiter, competing individually rather than as a Trojan team member, won the individual title by shooting a 5-over 218 in the 3-round tournament to defeat fellow Trojan freshman Matthew Giles by 1 stroke. Sluiter, who began the final round tied for eighth, shot a 70 on Tuesday.

The Trojans, who finished at 33-over 885 (284-307-294) after posting a 10-over 294 on Tuesday, led after each of the tourney's 3 rounds against a 14-team field that featured 4 teams ranked in the national Top 10 and 7 teams in the Top 50.

Tennessee began the final round in seventh place, 13 strokes behind USC, but shot a 1-over 285 on Tuesday to finish at 37-over 889 (318-286-285). No. 7 Stanford, which shot a 4-over 288 on Tuesday, finished in third at 38-over 890 (305-297-288).

No. 33 Pepperdine, which began the day 5 strokes behind USC in second place, shot a 302 final round and finished in fourth at 46-over 898 (309-287-302).

USC's 5-man team saw 4 of its members place in the Top 20 of the 80-man field. Besides low Trojan Giles, sophomore Rory Hie--the event's defending individual champion--tied for ninth at 9-over 222, while sophomore defending NCAA individual champ Jamie Lovemark was a shot behind Hie at 10-over 223 to finish tied for 11th. Junior Ryan Linton was tied for 20th at 13-over 226. Junior Tom Glissmeyer tied for 42nd at 18 over 231.

Giles began the final round tied for third at 3-over 145, 4 strokes behind second round leader Jason D'Amore of Loyola Marymount (141) and 1 behind Washington's Darren Wallace (144). D'Amore shot an 11-over 82 on Tuesday to finish tied for 11th at 10-over 223, while Wallace shot a 9-over 80 to finish tied for 14th at 11-over 224.

Three other Trojans besides Sluiter played individually and did not count toward USC's team totals. Freshman Gavin Reid tied for 34th at 16-over 229, freshman Daniel Park tied for 64th at 24-over 237 and redshirt freshman Bo DeHuff was 71st at 28-over 241.

USC next competes this Friday through Sunday (March 7-9) at the UNLV Southern Highlands Collegiate.