PULLMAN, Wash. – Sophomore Cameron Shaw (68-65-71 – 204, -6) used the first double eagle in Cal history to help him earn individual medalist honors for the first time in his collegiate career as he shared top honors with Washington State's Sang Lee (68-65-71 – 204, -6) at the Itani Quality Homes Collegiate that concluded Tuesday at the 7,247-yard Palouse Ridge Golf Club.
Shaw's albatross came on the 10th hole when his blind 2-iron from 258 yards away dropped into the hole.
“I haven't really come close to getting one before,” Shaw said about his shot that helped him compensate for a remainder of the round that included four bogeys and no birdies or eagles. “I was searching for my ball around the back of the green and a guy shouted that it had dropped. It was absolutely ridiculous.”
“The pin was tucked and left up over a ridge,” head coach Steve Desimone said. “I mean you weren't going to see a lot of putts made let alone a 2-iron from 258 yards. You're not going to play a hole any better than that.”
Shaw's win followed his tied for second place finish in his previous tournament at the Windon Memorial.
“It was a little surprising to be honest,” Shaw said about his victory. “After last week I knew I would have a good chance but for it to happen so early in the season feels awesome. I have come a long way since I began at Cal. The coaches talk about quantum leaps and this was by far the biggest one for me. This week really helps me believe that the hard work is paying off.”
Shaw had played six rounds over two tournaments in his first two seasons at Cal prior to 2014-15 on veteran-laden Golden Bear teams.
“He's just getting started,” Desimone said. “We've got a real player in the making and it's great to watch. He's asserting himself as one of the top players in the country.”
Shaw's performance led Cal (279-271-287 – 837, -3) to a third-place finish three shots behind Oregon (277-264-293 – 834, -6) and USC (273-270-291 – 834, -6) in a field that featured seven Pac-12 teams at the site that will host the 2015 Pac-12 Championships next April. Oregon captured the team title by defeating USC on the first playoff hole.
“Even though the golf course will play differently next April, it was great for us to get a feel for it,” Desimone said. “It was really good preparation for what we'll see and I'm really glad we played in this event. It was a good move for the program.”
Freshman Sebastian Crampton (72-64-72 – 208, -2) also garnered his second-straight top-10 finish in as many collegiate outings by tying for seventh after tying for fourth at the Windon Memorial. Crampton started on the fifth hole and had three bogeys over his first five holes before playing his final 13 holes in one-under par with four birdies and three bogeys for a total of six in the round.
“I am very pleased with the way I have played in my last two tournaments,” Crampton said. “My goal is to continue to improve so I can eliminate some simple mistakes I have made lately. Our team fought this week but ended up just short of our second win. We all left shots out there and feel as if we should have won again. I know as the season goes on we will work hard to get rid of those mistakes.”
Keelan Kilpatrick (71-72-71 – 214, +4) matched Shaw's one-over par round Tuesday and was the next Cal player on the final leaderboard in a tie for 30th place, moving up 18 spots over the final round. He holed a chip shot from about 30 yards out on the par-five 15th hole for an eagle to help offset an earlier double bogey on the par-four ninth and bogey on the par-three 13th.
KK Limbhasut (69-70-76 – 215, +5) and Walker Huddy (71-72-73 – 216, +6) also played for the Bears, tying for 34th and 39th place. Ben Doyle (74-69-79 – 222, +12) tied for 62nd while playing the event as an individual.
“We played so much better today than yesterday, but this one could have had a better ending,” said Desimone. “We could have ended up on top. There's a learning curve here. We're trying to accelerate it but our goal is to get these guys ready for the Pac-12 and NCAA Championships.”
Cal will next be in action October 14-15 when the Bears host the Alister MacKenzie Invitational at Meadow Club in Fairfax, Calif.
ITANI QUALITY HOMES COLLEGIATE (HOSTED BY WASHINGTON STATE)
PULLMAN, WA
PALOUSE RIDGE GOLF CLUB (PAR-70, 7,247 YARDS)
FINAL TEAM LEADERBOARD (after 2 of 2 days/3 of 3 rounds/54 of 54 holes)
*T1. Oregon (277-264-293 – 834, -6)
T1. USC (273-270-291 – 834, -6)
3. Cal (279-271-287 – 837, -3)
4. Washington State (274-270-298 – 842, +2)
5. Washington (282-278-286 – 846, +6)
6. Arizona State (276-274-297 – 847, +7)
7. Oregon State (284-273-291 – 848, +8)
8. Idaho (276-278-296 – 850, +10)
9. Utah (273-279-303 – 855, +15)
10. Boise State (279-285-300 – 864, +24)
*Won team title on first playoff hole (18)
FINAL PLAYER LEADERBOARD – CO-INDIVIDUAL MEDALISTS (after 2 of 2 days/3 of 3 rounds, 36 of 54 holes)
T1. Cameron Shaw (Cal) 68-65-71 – 204 (-6)
T1. Sang Lee (Washington State) 68-65-71 – 204 (-6)
FINAL PLAYER LEADERBOARD – CAL INDIVIDUALS (after 2 of 2 days/3 of 3 rounds, 54 of 54 holes)
T1. Cameron Shaw 68-65-71 – 204 (-6)
T7. Sebastian Crampton 72-64-72 – 208 (-2)
T30. Keelan Kilpatrick 71-72-71 – 214 (+4)
T34. KK Limbhasut 69-70-76 – 215 (+5)
T39. Walker Huddy 71-72-73 – 216 (+6)
*T62. Ben Doyle 74-69-79 – 222 (+12)
*Playing as an individual
