Tournament: CSUSB's Battle in the Desert  
Date: Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024
Location: Borrego Springs, Calif.
Course: Rams Hill Golf Club (par-72 / 6,955 yards)
CSUSM's Place: T5th out of 16 teams (885, +21)
Team Winner: Florida Southern (867, +3)  
Top Cougar: T3. Arman Rahgozar (212, -4)
Individual Medalist: Cal State Monterey Bay's Simon Bjorken (211, -5)

COURSE REPORT:  The Cal State San Marcos men's golf team concluded Cal State San Bernardino's Battle in the Desert in a four-way tie for fifth with a 21-over 885 (291-303-291). Arman Rahgozar tied for third alongside Dylan Bercan of Hawaii Hilo with a 4-under 212 (67-71-74).  

FIRST TEE

• Rahgozar had his best collegiate finish with a share of third place with his previous best being a share of 24th place in both his freshman and sophomore seasons. 
• Both Jason McElroy and Greg Mouser carded 2-under 70s in the final round to catapult up the leaderboard.
• McElroy moved up seven spots to tie for 16th place with a 3-over 219 (72-77-70) while Mouser jumped 16 spots for a share of 30th place with a 7-over 223 (76-77-70).
• Aiden Canada tied for 62nd place with a 16-over 232 (76-78-78).
• Cutter Ayres turned in a three-round total of 21-over 237 (76-84-77) to tie for 72nd place.

TEAM SCOREBOARD
1. Florida Southern 286-288-293 – 867 (+3); 2. Georgia Southwestern 287-307-279 – 873 (+9); T3. Western New Mexico 299-298-280 – 877 (+13); T3. Cal State San Bernardino 293-296-288 – 877 (+13); T5. Cal State San Marcos 291-303-291 – 885 (+21); T5. Chico State 296-298-291 – 885 (+21); T5. Hawaii Hilo 298-299-288 – 885 (+21); T5. Cal State Monterey Bay 296-294-295 – 885 (+21); T9. Cal State East Bay 293-307-289 – 889 (+25); T9. Washburn 298-298-293 – 899 (+25); 11. Sonoma State 310-291-291 – 892 (+28); 12. Stanislaus State 300-310-291 – 901 (+37); 13. Montana State Billings 297-312-293 – 902 (+38); 14. Colorado State Pueblo 305-300-299 – 904 (+40); 15. Saint Martin's 307-316-287 – 910 (+46); 16. Cal State Dominguez Hills 309-309-295 – 913 (+49).

INDIVIDUAL SCOREBOARD
1. Simon Bjorken (CSUMB) 70-71-70 – 211 (-5); 2. Mateo Quiroga (GSU) 69-73-69 – 211 (-5); T3. Arman Rahgozar (CSUSM) 67-71-74 – 212 (-4); T3. Dylan Bercan (UHH) 75-72-65 – 212 (-4); T5. Lucas Howell (MSUB) 72-74-67 – 213 (-3); T5. John Kim (CSUSB) 75-67-71 – 213 (-3); 7. Donte Groppuso (FSU) 70-70-74 – 214 (-2); 8. Cole Kroeker (SSU) 74-70-71 – 215 (-1); T9. Dakota Ochoa (Chico) 72-73-71 – 216 (E); T9. Jack Tharrington (GSU) 71-74-71 – 216 (E); T9. Max Barile (FSU) 69-75-72 – 216 (E);
OTHER CSUSM SCORERS: T16. Jason McElroy 72-77-70 – 219 (+3); T30. Greg Mouser 76-77-70 – 223 (+7); T62. Aiden Canada 76-78-78 – 232 (+16); T70. Cutter Ayres 76-84-77 – 237 (+21).
 
 
INSIDE THE SCORECARD

• After Rahgozar recorded an eagle on the sixth hole in round one, three Cougars collected an eagle in the final round. Rahgozar notched one on the 17th hole, Mouser on the seventh hole and Canada on the sixth hole.  
• Florida Southern was awarded the tournament team title after staying on top of the leaderboard the entire three rounds following a tournament-low 286 in round one and finishing with a 3-over 867.
• Following the three rounds, Cal State Monterey Bay's Simon Bjorken and Mateo Quiroga of Georgia Southwestern finished tied for first with a 5-under 211. On the second playoff hole, Bjorken recorded a birdie to win the individual medalist honor.

UP NEXT
The Cougars added a new tournament to their schedule today with the cancelation of the Sonoma State tournament in April. CSUSM will head to Pleasanton next week for the Northwest Nazarene Nighthawk Invitational on March 4-5.