SACRAMENTO STATE INVITATIONAL
Dates: March 5-6, 2018 (Monday-Tuesday)
Location: Valley Hi Country Club - Elk Grove, Calif.
Par/Yardage: Par 72 - 7,010 yards
Host: Sacramento State
Live Scoring: Golfstat.com
 
IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine men's golf team is back in action next week as it travels to Northern California for the Sacramento State Invitational, March 5-6.
 
For the second year in a row, the Anteaters are set to compete in Sacramento State's home tournament at Valley Hi Country Club. The par-72 course will be played at 7,010 yards. Thirty-six holes will be contested on Monday, while the final 18 holes are scheduled for Tuesday with a shotgun start on both days.
 
The 'Eaters are part of an 11-team field that also features British Columbia, Cal State Fullerton, CSUN, Grand Canyon, Long Beach State, Nebraska Omaha, Pacific, Sacramento State, Southern Utah and Weber State. UCI is paired with Pacific and Southern Utah.
 
THE COURSE
Valley Hi Country Club, which is located in Elk Grove, is one of Northern California's most distinguished private golf courses. The par-72 course weaves through groves of mature oaks, redwood and pine trees.  
 
THE LINEUP
UC Irvine's lineup for the Sacramento State Invitational includes David Kim, Ryan O'Connor, Jonathan Young, Ramiz Jamal and Jonathan Kang.
 
LIVE SCORING
Live scoring can be found at golfstat.com.
 
LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine was last in action Feb. 15-17 at the John A. Burns Intercollegiate in Lihu'e, Kaua'i. Senior David Kim highlighted the tournament with a hole-in-one during the second round, which he finished with a season-low 6-under 66. Kim used a six-iron to score the first ace of his collegiate career on the 178-yard, par-three seventh hole. He closed out the tournament at even-par 216 (78-66-72) to come in 26th overall.
 
Senior Ryan O'Connor tied for 37th with a season-best 218 (71-72-75), while junior Ramiz Jamal recorded a 221 (74-73-74) to tie for 59th.
 
As a team, the Anteaters were 14th with a three-round total of 878. No. 4 Texas A&M ran away from the 20-team field, claiming the title at 29-under 835. The Aggies' Chandler Phillips was individual medalist with a 203 (-13).
 
NEWS AND NOTES
• Through six tournaments, senior David Kim leads the 'Eaters with 56 birdies, three eagles and a 72.61 scoring average.
 
• Kim recorded the first hole-in-one of his collegiate career in the second round of the John A. Burns Intercollegiate at Wailua Golf Course (Lihu'e, Kaua'i). His ace came with a six-iron on the 178-yard seventh hole.
 
• After the hole-in-one, Kim proceeded to fire off three birdies to go 5-under over the last four holes and finish the round with a season-best 66 (-6).
 
• Kim's 66 bettered his previous season-low by one stroke as he also shot a 67 through the first 18 of the Nick Watney Invitational on Oct. 2. So far this season, he has five rounds of 70 or better.
 
• Kim earned his second career Big West Men's Golfer of the Month award for his efforts in October. He was the runner-up at the Bill Cullum Invitational, 18th at the Visit Stockton Pacific Invitational and 30th at the season-opening Nick Watney Invitational. The reigning Big West Player of the Year concluded the three tournaments with a team-best 71.67 stroke average and was at under-par scoring in five of nine rounds played (three in the 60s).
 
• In his second-place finish, Kim posted three consecutive under-par rounds at 71, 70 and 68 for a 54-hole score of 209 (-7). It was his 13th career top-10 performance.
 
• Senior Ryan O'Connor notched his best finish of the 2017-18 campaign at the Waves Challenge where he came in 16th at 15-over 231. The Irvine native was also the Anteaters' co-leader at the Nick Watney Invitational where he recorded a 223 to tie for 30th. He carded a then season-best 73 in the third round to jump 14 spots in the standings on the final day.
 
• O'Connor went on to match his career-low of 71 in the first round of the John A. Burns Intercollegiate (Feb. 15).
 
• Senior Jonathan Young registered back-to-back rounds of 2-under 70 to tie for 21st at the Bill Cullum Invitational.
 
• Sophomore Jonathan Kang has played in five of six tournaments this year, carding a season-best 7-over 220 (75-71-74) at the Saint Mary's Invitational. He also tied for 25th at the Waves Challenge.
 
• Junior Ramiz Jamal had his best finish of the season at the Visit Stockton Pacific Invitational where he was 35th at even-par 216. He shot a career-low 69 in the first round.
 
• Head coach Paul Smolinski is in his 20th year at the helm of the UCI men's golf program and the long-time coach has a veteran squad this year with eight returners, including five seniors.
 
UP NEXT
UC Irvine will be off from competition until April 7-8, when the 'Eaters return to the links for the Western Intercollegiate in Santa Cruz.