Competing as an individual and not counting for the Aztecs’ team score, senior Shea Lague (Jamul, Calif./Steel Canyon HS) came in a tie for sixth at 9-under 207, while Chokprajakchat tied for ninth at -8.SAN DIEGO — Fresh off a win at the Lamkin Classic, the San Diego State men’s golf team makes the short […]
Competing as an individual and not counting for the Aztecs’ team score, senior Shea Lague (Jamul, Calif./Steel Canyon HS) came in a tie for sixth at 9-under 207, while Chokprajakchat tied for ninth at -8.SAN DIEGO — Fresh off a win at the Lamkin Classic, the San Diego State men’s golf team makes the short drive north to compete in the loaded Pauma Valley Invitational in Pauma Valley, California. The Aztecs will play two 18-hole rounds on Monday and a single round Tuesday on the par-71, 7,311-yard course layout.Takis, meanwhile, tied for second at 12-under 20. It was the best collegiate finish of his career and his best 54-hole score.Chokprajakchat is second on the team at 71.67, while Takis (71.74), Kowack (72.29), Lague (72.95), Oyama (73.00) and Nathan Sampson (Temecula, Calif.) (73.83) have also logged starts in San Diego State’s starting lineup this season.Hastings continued his impressive spring, earning medalist honors with a 16-under 200, breaking Fredrik Nilehan’s previous record of -15 set in 2018. It was the third collegiate title for Hastings, tied for the ninth most in SDSU history, and fourth consecutive collegiate top-10 finish.The Lamkin Classic victory was the first regular-season team title for the three-time defending Mountain West champions since winning the Wyoming Cowboy Classic in April 2023 and San Diego State’s first Lamkin Invitational win since 2013. The Aztecs (-43) finished one shot short of tying Oklahoma State’s Lamkin Invite-record score of 44-under par, set in 2018. Following the Pauma Valley Invitational, SDSU next competes in the Western Intercollegiate, April 14-16, at Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz, California. San Diego State will tee off from the 10th hole, beginning at 8:25 a.m. PT, along with LMU, Texas Tech and San Francisco. The same four teams will play together in the afternoon in the second round with Tuesday’s final round based on scoring from the first two rounds.In January, Hastings captured the Latin American Amateur Championship, receiving an invitation to compete in the 2025 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club and exemptions into The Open and the U.S. Open. He has played in two PGA TOUR events this spring, tying for 13th at the Mexico Open at VidantaWorld, Feb. 20-23, at 13-under-par 271 and missing the cut just this last weekend at the Puerto Rico Open after being at 2-under 142 through 36 holes. Hastings is ranked 12th in the latest PGA TOUR University rankings and 23th in the latest World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR).Pauma Valley is Robert Trent Jones, Sr.’s first California course design. This classic layout with intricate greens surrounded by the beautiful scenery of Pauma Valley provides a special and unique golfing experience for all.Hastings leads the Aztecs with a 70.24 scoring average through 21 rounds. Out of his seven tournaments, Hastings had one victory, two top-5s and five top-10s. He also tops SDSU in rounds below par (12) and is tied for the most rounds in the 60s (8).SDSU is one of 14 in the 16-team field which is ranked in the top-35 of the latest NCAA Scoreboard computer rankings, released Wednesday. The field includes No. 2 Arizona State, No. 3 Ole Miss, No. 4 Texas, No. 5 Oklahoma State, No. 6 Oklahoma, No. 7 LSU, No. 13 Illinois, No. 15 San Diego State, No. 21 Georgia Tech, No. 26 Texas Tech, No. 28 SMU, No. 30 Tennessee and No. 33 San Diego. LMU (57) is hosting the event and San Francisco (112) is also in the field.Aztec head coach Ryan Donovan has gone with the same starting five from last week’s 16-stroke win at the Lamkin Classic, just slightly tweaking the order. Reigning Mountain West Men’s Golfer of the Week Justin Hastings (Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands) will be SDSU’s No. 1, followed by the MW Men’s Golf Freshman of the Week Harry Takis (Brisbane, Australia), Chanachon Chokprajakchat (Bangkok, Thailand), Tyler Kowack (San Diego/Canyon Crest Academy) and Dylan Oyama (Carlsbad, Calif./Pacific Ridge HS).
