By John M. Sherrard

(Walnut, Ca) Not since the 2010 season has the Mt. SAC Men's Golf team traversed the golf links. But this is 2017 and they're baaaaaaaaaaack!!

After a six-year hiatus the Mountie men are back and led by coach Greg Osbourne, who is also a PGA member. Twelve golfers will make up the Mountie team, led by a transfer from last years' state finals team, five red-shirt freshmen and six incoming freshmen.

Assisting Osbourne will be Art Guevara, who is also a PGA member and the Head Golf Professional at the Green River Golf Club in Corona.

Former Mountie women's golfer Sarah Juelch will also help the Mountie men as a volunteer assistant coach. Juelch, who last played for Mt. SAC in the 2015 season, was an All-Southern California player and qualified for the CCCAA State Championships in 2015.

The opening-season tournament will take place in Lompoc this Sunday (January 29) and Monday at the Point Conception Open. Tee off will be at 11:30 am at the La Purisima Golf Course. Day two's starting time will be at 8:30 am.

Two days later the Mounties will jump right into Orange Empire Conference action playing in the Tee-Off Classic on Wednesday February 1 at Los Serranos Country Club in Chino Hills.

The Mountie men do have a championship trophy in their case as they won the California Community College Athletic Association state title in 2005.

"We are very excited to start competing," said Osbourne, who is also the Mt. SAC Women's coach in the fall. 

"Our players want to start a legacy for themselves at Mt. SAC. It will be very interesting because for the first year our team feels we will compete with the states' best.

"We have had great support from the athletic staff. We are proud to be Mounties and to represent the best athletic sports program in the country."

The number one golfer is James Hochsprung from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. The sophomore is a transfer from Santiago Canyon College, which dropped its program after playing in the state championship last year.

"I am looking for him to lead the team," Osbourne said. "I feel he will have a great year and move on to a university after this season."

The freshmen class is composed of David Gillette (Villa Park HS), Dylan Stone (Diamond Bar HS), Anthony Chiang (Arcadia HS), Blake Davidson (Sacramento, CA), Chris Pinpin (Walnut HS) and Dilan Patel (South Hills HS).

"We have some red-shirt freshman who look to really start the new team off on a great start," added Osbourne.

They consist of: Cole Albert (Webb HS), who went to the University of Hawaii, Curtis Ashton (La Serna HS), who attended the University of Oregon, Mark Reyes (Glendora HS), Chris Maldonado (Bonita HS) and Jusper Braga (Philippine Islands).

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For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.