University of San Diego sizzles in taking title at Prestige college golf event in La Quinta

Posted by author February 20, 2025 Golf

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Shooting the best round of the tournament Wednesday, the University of San Diego ran away with the team title of the Prestige college golf tournament at PGA West.

The Toreros fired a team total of 18-under 266, easily the best single-day round of any of the 24 teams in the event at the par-71 Norman Course at PGA West. Starting the day with a six-shot lead, the Toreros finished with a 29-under total for three days, 13 shots better than runner-up and defending Prestige champion Texas Tech.

Texas Tech surged up the leaderboard with a 12-under final round, second in the tournament only to San Diego’s sizzling round Friday in ideal conditions in La Quinta. The Red Raiders’ three-day total of 13-under was two shots better than Northwestern and three shots better than Little Rock. Colorado rounded out the top five in the event at 7-under.

Part of San Diego’s big day Wednesday was the play of sophomore Ryan Abuan. Abuan fired a 6-under 65 to overtake the overnight leaders and win the individual title with an 11-under 202 total, three shots better than Sam Renner of Washington State and Freddie Turnell of Little Rock.

Abuan’s round started slowly with two birdies and two bogeys on the front nine, but he caught fire with four consecutive birdies to start the back nine on the way to a 5-under 31 on the side and the 66. Renner pulled to within one shot of Abuan but Renner bogeyed his two holes to fall back into the tie with Turnell. Renner shot 69 on the day, while Turnell shot a 67 with five birdies and one bogey.

The highest-ranked player in the field, David Ford of North Carolina, shot 69 to finish 3-under for the tournament, tied for 17^th. Ford is ranked sixth in the country and leads the PGA Tour U rankings in the race for a PGA Tour exemption at the end of the 2024-25 season.

In addition to Abuan’s performance Wednesday, the Toreros were paced by a 66 by Ian Maspat, a 67 by Jaden Cantafio, a 68 by Conner Humphreys and a 69 by You Seong Choi, whose score was not counted in the five-play, four-count format.