Oct. 29, 2002
SAN JOSE, Calif. - The Santa Clara Invitational took 56 holes to determine rather than the usual 54 after the Santa Clara and Saint Mary's men's golf squads were tied with a team total 898 after day two Tuesday afternoon. The 6,868-yard par-72 layout of the Silver Creek Valley Country Club posed a tough challenge for all teams, yielding only five sub-300 team scores during the tournament.
Santa Clara and Saint Mary's lined up all five of their golfers on the first hole for a playoff in which all 10 golfers played the hole with the top-four scores for each team being counted. The low aggregate score of the four counted scores determined the winner.
The two teams were tied once again after the first playoff hole forcing the squads on to number two. At the second hole the Gaels made two birdies that the Broncos could not answer to take home first place of the 2002 SCU Invitational.
The Gaels fired the best team round of the day with their 293 powered behind Joe Lanza's second 3-under par, 69 of the tournament. Lanza took home Medalist Honors with his three-round total of 215, one stroke ahead of Santa Clara junior Justin Ahasic who fired a final round 72 to finish the tournament at even-par, 216. Zack King of Cal Poly finished third at 2-over par, 218, following a final round 69.
The Broncos fired a final round 300 but lost their lead on the final round as they were forced to take three 76's and a 72 on the day, while Saint Mary's took scores of 69, 71, 76 and 77 to make up the seven-shot difference.
Cal Poly finished third as a team with their team total of 910 following a final-round 302, passing San Francisco who limped home on Tuesday with a 307 to finish fourth with a team total of 913. Cal State San Marcos rounded out the top-five with their team total of 914 following a 304 score Tuesday.
Santa Clara will conclude their fall season next Monday and Tuesday at the University of Hawaii Fall Invitational at the Turtle Bay Resort on the island of Ohau.
