Seventh-Place Finish by Liu Lifts Cal Poly to Third Place
5/4/2021 4:00:00 PM | Men's Golf
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LA QUINTA, Calif. -- Freshman Austin Liu earned his second career top-10 collegiate finish and Will Draper and Tanner Podres both carded final-round 70s as Cal Poly claimed third place in the 2021 Big West Conference Men's Golf Championship on Tuesday at the La Quinta Country Club.
The third-place finish under first-year head coach Phil Rowe is Cal Poly's best achievement since the 2016-17 Mustang squad also finished third in the conference finals and a vast improvement from a ninth-place finish in the last Big West championship back in 2019.
Liu closed with a 72 on the 7,006-yard par-72 course for a one-over-par 217 total and a seventh-place tie with three Long Beach State golfers. The Oak Park High School graduate, who posted earlier rounds of 75 and 70, carded four birdies and four pars in his final round.
Draper and Podres shared 11th place with two other golfers at two-over-par 218. Both Mustangs posted identical rounds of 74, 74 and 70. Draper carded three birdies and one bogey while Podres had four birdies and a pair of bogeys on his final-round card.
Austin Liu finished tied for seventh place.Luke Adam rebounded from Monday's 79 with a final-round 72 and finished in a tie for 22nd place with an eight-over-par 224 total. Adam's par round featured three birdies and three bogeys.
Joey Zambri closed with a 78 for a 225 total and a tie for 24th place.
All five Mustang golfers are eligible to return next season. In addition, Cal Poly's 284 for the final 18 holes, its 586 total for the first 36 holes and the 870 total for the tournament are all season bests.
Lucas Carper of UC Davis posted a wire-to-wire victory with rounds of 70, 67 and 72 for a seven-under-par 209 total, five strokes ahead of Clay Seeber of Long Beach State and Garrett Boe of Cal State Fullerton. Blake Brothers of CSUN finished fourth at 215 while Thomas Hutchison of UC Davis and Hunter Epson of Long Beach State shared fifth place at even par.
With five golfers finishing in the top seven, Long Beach State earned its first Big West team championship in men's golf since 2004, finishing as the lone team under par with a six-under 858 aggregate. UC Davis was seven strokes back and Cal Poly was another five shots behind in third.
The Mustangs followed Sunday's four-person 296 with a 290 Monday and a four-under-par 284 Tuesday for a six-over-par 870 total.
Liu finished second in par-4 scoring at one over par while Draper was fifth in par-3 scoring, also at one over par. Podres was third and Draper fifth in par-5 scoring at eight- and seven-under par, respectively.
Liu was one of a dozen golfers to card an eagle. Justin Ngan of Hawaii recorded three eagles over 54 holes and finished 16th overall. Podres' 12 birdies were third in the field of 45 golfers and Draper's 34 pars were No. 5.
Long Beach State will represent the Big West at one of six regional sites May 17-19. The two regionals out west are in Albuquerque and Cle Elum, Wash. The selection show will be aired Wednesday at 11 a.m. on the Golf Channel.
On May 12, the Big West Conference released its all-conference teams for men's golf. Austin Liu and Luke Adam were named to the second team.
Big West Conference
Player of the Year
Hunter Epson, LBSU
Coach of the Year
Michael Wilson, LBSU
Tri-Freshmen of the Year
Clay Seeber, LBSU
Garrett Boe, CSF
Jacob Westberg, UCD
First Team
Hunter Epson (LBSU)
Clay Seeber, LBSU
Thomas Hutchison, UCD
Garrett Boe, CSF
Blake Brothers, CSUN
Lucas Carper, UCD
Second Team
Isaac Rodea, LBSU
Jacob Westberg, UCD Austin Liu, CP
Andrew Ricci, UCSB Luke Adam, CP
