University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Men's Golfers Win Anteater Invitational
April 2, 1998
The Bruins - In their last tournament, the Bruins captured the team title at the Anteater Invitational, Mar. 30-31 at Coto de Caza and sophomore Jason Semelsberger won medalist honors by winning a one hole playoff. The Bruins led wire-to-wire, opening up a five shot lead after one round, a nine shot margin after 36 holes and finishing with a 16-shot victory over second place Washington. Two other Bruins finished among the field's top 10 players - freshman Jeff McGraw (216, 4th) and sophomore Ross Fulgentis (218, 7th). The Bruins' three victories in 1997-98 are the most first place finishes for a UCLA team since the 1986-87 season. UCLA's score of 864 was even par. Overall this season, UCLA has finished among the top 10 teams in seven of eight tournaments: 4th at the Reliaster Invitational (Sept. 15-16), 5th at the Pacific Invitational (Sept. 22-23), 6th at the Oregon Duck Invitational (Mar. 8-10) and ninth at the Nike Northwest Classic (Oct. 6-7). UCLA won its second straight tournament-the 49er Collegiate Classic, Nov. 6-7, at the Virginia CC - with a three-shot victory over 15 other West and Southwest schools. The Bruins shot a season best 280 in the second round to take a four shot lead into the final round where they shot 285 and finished with a season best score of 848. Three players -Schlagenhauf, Eddy Lee and Ross Fulgentis - finished among the top 10 individuals. The Bruins also posted a three-shot victory at the Fresno Lexus Classic, Oct. 24-25. UCLA led wire-to-wire, posting a one-under par 287 in the first round en route to a 14-over par total of 878. Four players -DiTullio, Steve Wagner, Fulgentis and Semelsberger - finished among the top 20 individuals. In the latest Rolex rankings, the Bruins were listed 31st.
The Players - Junior B.J. Schlagenhauf owns the team's top stroke average at 72.1. In the latest GolfStat poll, he was ranked 35th nationally. His second place finish at the Reliaster event was his best in a collegiate event. At the 49er Collegiate Classic, he finished third with a career best 54-hole score of 210, featuring two rounds under 70. At the Pacific Invite, he finished 10th with a second round, three-under par 69. At the Nike tournament, he placed 4th, sparked by a first round 69. Nine of his 24 rounds this season are under par, including a four-under par total of 212 at the Reliaster event. He also has posted six rounds under 70. Overall this season, Schlagenhauf has been the Bruins' top finisher in all but two events. In August, 1997 he won the World Students Golf Championship Pacific Rim Tournament in Tau City, Japan by firing 71-74-69-214 to capture medalist honors by one shot. He also qualified and played in the U.S. Amateur last summer.
Junior Brandon DiTullio has a 72.6 stroke average in 24 rounds. He finished second at the Fresno Lexus Classic. After 54 holes he tied for first place with BYU's Michael Henderson, but lost on the fourth playoff hole. He has carded three rounds under par this season. He also finished in a tie for 13th at the 49er Classic and in a tie for 15th at the Oregon Duck Invitational with Schlagenhauf. He has carded eight rounds under par this season, including two under 70. Last year's second team All-Pac-10 selection led the Bruins as a sophomore with a 74.3 stroke average-a three-stroke improvement from his freshman season.
Senior Eddy Lee finished in a tie for seventh at the 49er Classic-his best finish since his freshman season. His 54-hole total of 212, also a career best, featured a final round one-under par 69. He also tied for 20th at the Reliaster Invite after carding a first round 68, a career collegiate best. His stroke average of 73.5 is the team's third best average.
Sophomore Jason Semelsberger has a 73.6 stroke average after winning the Anteater event. His second round 68 vaulted him into contention and he ultimately won by carding a par on the first playoff hole to defeat Washington's Rob Rashell. His victory last Febraury at the Corey Pavin/Pioneer UCLA Classic give him two in two seasons as a Bruin. He tied for 17th at the 49er Classic. He fired a pair of 71s in the first and third rounds on his way to a 54-hole score of 216. Last Spring, Semelsberger qualified and played as an amateur in the U.S. Open at Congressional.
Redshirt freshman Ross Fulgentis boasts a 73.7 stroke average after posting a collegiate best finish of seventh at the Anteater Invitational. He posted a 54-hole total of 218 at Coto de Caza. He tied for 10th at the 49er Classic, posting a career best three-round score of 213, which featured a second round, four-under par 66. He also finished in a tie for 15th at the Pacific where he shot a two-under par 214. At Fresno, he tied for 18th. He has recorded four rounds under par this year.
Freshman transfer Jeff McGraw recorded his best collegiate finish by taking fourth at the Anteater. He fired a 54-hole score of 216, which featured a first round, two-under par 70. In December, 1996, McGraw tied for first with four players in qualifying for the Buick Open at Torrey Pines before being eliminated in a playoff. He is averaging 75.4 strokes in nine rounds.
Sophomore Steve Wagner recorded his best finish at Fresno, placing in a tie for 16th. He has recorded three rounds under par this season, including a two-under 68 in the second round of the 49er Classic. His first round two-under par 70 was tied for the lead at Fresno. His average is 76.1.
Head Coach Brad Sherfy is in his third season as coach of the Bruins, Sherfy, a 1978 UCLA golf All-American, last year guided the Bruins to their first NCAA appearance since 1993. An outstanding player, Sherfy has played in four U.S. Opens, three PGA Championships and won more the 80 events on various satellite tours, He finished in a tie for third at the 1996 PGA Club Professional Championship at PGA West. Sherfy's 72-hole score of 274 (68-67-65-74) was 14-under par. So far in 1998, Sherfy has qualified and played in the Buick Open (San Diego) and Nissan Open (Los Angeles).
1997-98 UCLA Men's Golf Team Results
UCLA/Score Top UCLA Date Tournament (Host) Finish Individual Sept. 15-16 Reliaster Invitational (Minnesota) 868, 4th Schlagenhauf, 2nd (212) Sept. 22-23 Pacific Invitational (UOP) 856, 5th Schlagenhauf, 10th (211) Oct. 6-7 Nike Northwest Classic (Oregon St.) 885, 9th Schlagenhauf, 4th (215) Oct. 24-25 Fresno Lexus Classic (Fresno St.) 878, 1st DiTullio, 2nd (217) Nov. 6-7 Long Beach St. Invitational (LBSU) 848, 1st Schlagenhauf, 3rd (210) Feb. 13-15 TaylorMade Big Island Classic (Hawaii-Hilo) 886, 16th Schlagenhauf, T-18th (217) Mar. 8-10 Oregon Duck Invitational (Oregon) 879, 6th Schalgenhauf, DiTullio, T-15th (218) Mar. 30-31 UC Irvine Anteater Invitational (UC Irvine) 864, 1st Semelsberger, 1st (213) Apr. 11-13 Stanford Invitational (Stanford) Apr. 18-19 ASU Thunderbird/Savane Invitational (ASU) Apr. 27-29 Pac-10 Championships (California) May 14-16 NCAA West Regionals (ASU) May 27-30 NCAA Championship (UNM)
UCLA Men's Golf Individual Results
Brandon Ross Eddy Jeff Jason B.J. Steve Tournament DiTullio Fulgentis Lee McGraw Semelsberger Schlagenhauf Wagner Reliaster Invite 72 75 68 70 78 Sept. 14-15 74 74 76 71 73 Dellwood Hills GC 74 T-25 72 T-28 75 T-20 71 2nd 74 T-43Pacific Invite 74 70 75 72 75 Sept. 22-23 69 71 77 69 72 Saddle Creek GC 71 T-15 73 T-15 77 T-83 70 10th 70 T-35
Nike Northwest 74 82 72 77 69 Oct. 6-7 77 73 76 77 73 Trysting Tree GC 72 T-39 79 T-90 76 T-41 73 T-59 73 4th
35th FSU Lexus 72 72 78 73 70 Oct. 24-25 74 76 70 76 78 San Joaquin CC 71 2nd 75 T-18 75 T-18 75 T-26 74 T-16
Long Beach St. Inv 70 73 72 71 69 74 Nov. 6-7 73 66 71 74 73 68 Virgina CC 72 T-13 74 T-10 69 T-7 71 T-17 68 T-3 78 T-37
TaylorMade Classic 70 72 71 77 89 Feb. 13-15 76 75 76 68 85 Waikoloa King's GC 75 T-46 77 T-63 77 T-63 72 T-18 80 124
Oregon Duck Inv. 72 77 72 77 75 Mar. 8-10 73 75 76 73 69 Emerald Valley GC 73 T-15 71 T-41 78 55th 75 T-50 74 T-15
UC Irvine Inv. 69 74 74 (I) 70 73 72 79 (I) Mar. 30-31 71* 73 76 73 68 75 73 Coto de Caza CC 75 96th 71 7th 78 T-46 73 4th 72 1st 78 T-28 89 92nd
Stanford Invite Apr. 11-13 Stanford GC
ASU Thunderbird Apr. 18-19 Karsten GC
Pac-10 Champs Apr. 27-29 Orinda CC
NCAA West Reg. May 14-16 Karsten GC
NCAA Champs May 27-30 UNM GC Total Strokes/Rnds 1743/24 1770/24 883/12 895/12 1104/15 1732/24 1379/18 Average 72.6 73.7 73.5 74.5 73.6 72.1 76.1 (I)-competed as an individual. *Adjusted score due to a scoring error.