(Napa, CA) The Mt. SAC Men's Golf Team, advancing to the CCCAA State Championships for the first time since its 2005 title run, finished in sixth place.

Winning the event, which was held at the historic Silverado Resort and Spa Golf Course in Napa (5/13), was the College of the Canyons.  This marked their fourth title in the last seven years and ninth overall.

The final standings were: 1. Canyons (734), 2. Santa Barbara City (752), 3. Cypress (766), 4. Folsom Lake (768), 5. Reedley (771), 6. Mt. SAC (773), San Jose City (788) and 8. Fresno City (794).

Nobuhiko Wakaari of Canyons shot a tournament low 69 in the final round, to take the individual championship, with a 2-under score of 142.

"We here at Mt. SAC are very proud of this golf team," Mt. SAC Athletics Director Joe Jennum replied.

Finishing in a tie for eighth overall individually (60 total golfers), was Mt. SAC's Hanseop Lee, carding a 149 (72-77). Lee was one of five golfers tied for first, with an even par 72, after the morning round. 

"It (state championship) was a good experience," Lee said. "It was an honor to play at Mt. SAC and I will never forget it."

Lee carded 14 pars and two birdies in the morning round. There were only 25 total birdies among the top five golfers in the morning round out of 90 holes.

Mt. SAC is in its third year back in competition after a six-year absence.

Third-year Head Coach Greg Osbourne was extremely proud of what his six-member team accomplished this season.

"As a program we've grown," Osbourne said. "We have to now fill the holes in our roster and it'll be a little easier now because people will want to play for us."

"Although we didn't show it in this tournament (state championships), I think we have the best program in the state and people are finding that out now by where we are practicing and our on-campus golf facility."

This years state championships were held on the same course as the PGA Safeway Open, which is held each year in September.  The historic course lies in beautiful setting just below the foothills of Napa.

"The state of California (CCCAA) put on a very good state championships," said Osbourne of the Northern California course.

The course played very tough in the morning round with no red scores (under par). A number of golfers commented on the tought hole placement on the greens as a possible reason.

Riverside City College will be the state championship host in May of 2020 on a course yet to be determined.

What they said:

Chu-Wen (Felix) Tsui: "It's really hard to get to state and but it was a really good experience. The course is a PGA course and we just didn't play to our potential. I'm really looking forward to next year."

Julio Ibarra: "This year was a really big deal. I can't say how proud I am of these guys and what a great experience it was.  Greg (Coach Osbourne) really put together a great squad and we created a brotherhood together. We just banded together. He promised we'd get to state and we did."

Blake Copeland: "It felt amazing to be part of a team that truly felt like family. Throughout the season we became closer and closer. They will forever be my brothers. It was awesome to take Mt. SAC to its first state championship tournament since 2005. The course was amazing and was a great challenge. Unfortunately, it wasn't the result we wanted, but I couldn't have asked for a better team. Rooming with my teammates was probably the most fun I had on the trip because we got along so well and there never was a dull moment."

"It was a highlight for me to play at the Silverado course three times in two days. It was such an awesome course."

Cameron Smith: "It's been one (heck) of a ride. It's been fun with the team and the chemistry and now it's the end. It's nice getting recognized as a sport. I liked it and the competition."

Joshua Song: "As a team, our goal was to make it to the state championships from the beginning. The fact that we got here in coach Osbourne's third year is a huge accomplishment. It was a good team bonding this past weekend (state). The course was extremely tough and it gives us a perspective of the difference of us and the PGA tour players. I'm very fortunate to play the course that the PGA players play on."

John Dearth: "It was awesome. I've been at high levels of sports and it's nice to go to a championship. There's nothing like college athletics. When you're making it to a state or regional final, it's an exciting time. This was such an incredible course. We didn't win, but we made it to state and it's only a third-year program. That's pretty awesome."

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