No. 6 USC Looks To Defend Conference Title At Pac-12 Championships Starting Monday

The No. 6 USC men's golf team, a three-time winner this season among six top 2 finishes and led by world amateur No. 1 and 2019 Pac-12 Men's Golf Scholar Athlete of the Year Justin Suh, begins the postseason at the 2019 Pac-12 Championships, Monday through Wednesday (April 22-24), at the Eugene (Ore.) C.C. as the Trojans try to defend their 2018 crown.

A practice round will take place on Sunday, April 21 at 9 a.m. before the tournament begins Monday morning. Monday's tee times will be off No. 1 and No. 10 at 7:15 a.m., followed by the second round teeing off at 12:30 p.m. Tee times for Tuesday will begin at 9 a.m. off No. 1 and No. 10. Wednesday's final round will begin at 8 a.m. off No. 1 and No. 10 with pairings decided by order of finish following Tuesday's round.

Pac-12 Network will air live coverage beginning at 2 p.m. on Wednesday. Results will be available at Golfstat.com. USC reached the NCAA Championships semifinals at the Eugene C.C. in 2016.

The last team to repeat as Pac-12 team champions was Stanford (2014-16) and the last repeat medalist was ASU's Paul Casey (1998-2000).

USC'S HISTORY AT THE PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Trojans have won a conference-best 20 Pac-12 titles and are the defending champions after winning the 2018 crown – its first since 2011 -- while hosting at Rolling Hills C.C. a season ago. Justin Suh claimed the Trojans' first individual crown since the same year – both he and the Trojans winning by four strokes. The Trojan squad won at 31-under 1389 (347-340-351-351) while Suh won his USC record fifth title of the season at 16-under 268 (68-64-65-71) … USC's previous two wins was a 2011 playoff win and a dominating 36-stroke win in 2007. USC came close in 2008 to back-to-back wins (like they did in 2001 and 2002), but fell in a playoff to ASU ... USC finished third in 2012 and tied for third in 2017. Troy claimed the crown 15 times between 1962 and 1986 ... USC boasts 22 individual champions including Suh last year as well 2019 PGA rookie Martin Trainer in 2011, who outlasted Oregon State's Alex Moore during a seven-hole playoff for the win. Jamie Lovemark won in 2007, which ended a drought that dated back to Sam Randolph's tie for first in 1983 ... USC has also earned nine Pac-10 Golfer of the Year honors, including Suh in 2018 and its previous winner, Matt Giles in 2009, as well as Lovemark's 2007 distinction and Kevin Stadler's in 2002 ... Sherman Finger's three wins in 1964-65-66 are tied for the Pac-12's most individual conference titles (with ASU's Paul Casey in 1998-99-2000)… Jamie Lovemark's 2007 title-winning 269 is USC's lowest 72-hole score at the Pac-12s, which led the Trojans to their lowest team score ever at the Pac-12s, a 51-under 1389 (358-342-345-344).

FALL/SPRING RECAP
The Trojans won their final two events of Fall play, claiming the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate Invitational and the Saint Mary's Invitational, and won the Southwestern Invitational for their first spring title.

At Saint Mary's, USC erased a 17-stroke deficit to start the final round and a double-digit disadvantage at the turn to win by 13 strokes. The Trojans closed with a final round 265, its best effort in over 13 years, winning the tournament at 21-under 831 (290-276-265), leapfrogging three teams over the final 18 holes, including second-round leader BYU. Issei Tanabe led USC with a second-place finish at 8-under 205 (72-68-65) while Kyle Suppa tied for fourth and Kaito Onishi tied for ninth.

USC also came from behind to capture its first tournament of the year in Georgia, winning by a stroke at 22-under 842 (278-280-284). Justin Suh won his and the Trojans' first individual crown of the season, taking first at 14-under 202 (67-67-68), winning by four strokes.

The Trojans lost and then reclaimed the final round lead en route to a one-stroke win at the Southwestern Invitational. Suh birdied 18 to break a stalemate with Cal and give USC the win at 4-under 860 (284-285-291). Suh also won the individual title by five strokes at 12-under 204 (68-68-68), his eighth career title.

The Trojans finished second in their season opener at the Fighting Illini Invitational at 7-over 847 (287-281-279), Onishi leading USC in third at 3-under 207 (68-69-70). USC again finished second at the National Invitational Tournament in Tucson, Ariz., at 29-under 835 (279-270-286) while Suh led USC with a second-place finish at 16-under 200 (66-64-70). Troy followed it with another second at The Goodwin at 10-over 850 (286-279-285), led by Kaito Onishi's tie for third.

USC features three players ranked in Golfweek's top 101 (as of April 18). Suh is fourth, Onishi is 28th, Tanabe is 101st.

Suh-perlatives
* Justin Suh was named the Pac-12 Men's Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the 2018-19 season, the Conference office announced April 18. The award, which is presented in each of the 24 sports the Pac-12 sponsors, was established to honor collegiate student-athletes that are standouts both academically and in their sports discipline. He is the first Trojan to be named Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year for men's golf. He carries a 3.24 grade point average as a Business Administration major and has twice earned Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention.

* Suh completed a regular season with nine top 15 finishes, including seven in the top 10 and five in the top 4. In addition to his wins at the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate Invitational at 14-under 202 (67-67-68) and at the Southwestern Invitational at 12-under 204 (68-68-68), he tied for fourth at the Fighting Illini Invitational at 2-under 208 (73-67-68), tied for 10^th at the Nike Golf Collegiate Invitational at 1-under 209 (70-69-70), tied for 15^th at the Saint Mary's Invitational at 1-under 212 (75-70-67), tied for fourth at the Amer Ari Invitational at 13-under 203 (68-64-71) and was second by a stroke at 16-under 200 (66-64-70) at the N.I.T. He completed the regular season with a seventh at the Western Intercollegiate at 3-under 207 (64-74-69).

Suh, who missed only the Southern Highlands Collegiate this year while competing at the Arnold Palmer Invitational (he missed the cut), leads the Trojans with a 68.81 stroke average over 27 rounds, including 17 rounds of 69 or better.

His stroke average is just over his school record he set last year (68.73). He has posted par or better in 22 of 27 rounds, including in 14 of the past 17. Suh took over the top spot in the World Amateur Golf Rankings in mid-October.

Suh was ranked fifth in the fall Arnold Palmer Cup Rankings for the U.S. squad and moved up to third in the first spring rankings, but declined consideration for this year's team. Suh is also on the 2019 Ben Hogan Award Watch List.

He is coming off one of the top seasons in USC history. The senior from San Jose, Calif., won a USC-record five tournaments, capped by the Pac-12 Championships individual title. He also broke USC's season records for stroke average (68.73), lowering Jamie Lovemark's 2007 mark (70.10). Suh's 21 rounds under 70 in 2018 also broke Lovemark's school standard of 20 from the same season.

In addition to his 21 rounds in the 60s last year, he had 23 rounds under par and 28 of par or better in 33 rounds.

Suh was one of five finalists for the Jack Nicklaus Award, among 10 semifinalists for the 2018 Ben Hogan Award and was among the top 3 all season on the 2018 Haskins Award Watch List. He also played on the 2018 Palmer Cup Team and represented the U.S. at the 2018 World Amateur Team Championships, helping the American squad to second place and tied for third overall.

* Sophomore Kaito Onishi, the 2018 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, is second on the team in stroke average (70.22) and rounds in the 60s (12). He has posted five top 10 finishes this year, including his third at the Fighting Illini Invitational at 3-under 207 (68-69-70) and a tie for third at The Goodwin at 2-under 208 (69-66-73). He was also 3-under with a tie for ninth at the Saint Mary's Invitational (210=73-71-66), even (216=69-72-75) to tie for 10^th at the Southwestern Invitational and tied for fifth at the Western Intercollegiate at 4-under 206 (69-67-70).

Onishi was ranked fifth in the fall Arnold Palmer Cup Rankings for the international squad and fifth in the recent spring rankings.

Onishi was second on the squad last year in stroke average (71.85) and rounds in the 60s (eight). Included in the early-season Arnold Palmer Cup rankings for the international team (15^th), he had a pair of top 4 finishes, four top 20s and seven results in the top 28.

* Junior Kyle Suppa has five top 19 finishes this season, is fourth on the team with a 72.80 stroke average and has seven rounds under 70. He tied for fourth at 5-under 208 (73-68-67) at the Saint Mary's Invitational – a career-best effort – and tied for seventh at 5-under 211 (70-67-74) at the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate Invitational. He then tied for 12^th at the Amer Ari Invitational at 7-under 209 (71-65-73) and also tied for sixth at the Sonoran Showdown at 3-under 207 (67-67-73).

* Sophomore Issei Tanabe is third on the Trojans with a stroke average of 71.37 in 27 rounds, including 11 rounds in the 60s, tied for second-best on the team. He has four top 13 finishes, including a USC career-best second in Troy's come-from behind win at the Saint Mary's Invitational at 8-under 205 (72-68-65). He also tied for fourth at the Bill Cullum Invitational at 6-under 209 (69-74-66), tied for 12^th at the Amer Ari Invitational at 7-under 209 (69-68-72) and tied for 13^th at the National Invitational Tournament at 6-under 210 (75-66-69)

* Freshman Charlie Reiter has started seven of USC's events. He had three rounds in the 60s and a stroke average of 71.58 in fall play. He posted a season-best tie for sixth at the Fighting Illini Invitational at 1-under 209 (72-71-66) and was 23^rd at the Nike Golf Collegiate at 4-over 214 (69-72-73).

* Senior Sam Kim has seen action in seven events, including his best result as a starter when he tied for 15^th at the Western Intercollegiate at 1-over 211 (66-74-71). He tied for 19^th at the Southern Highlands Collegiate at 1-under 215 (74-67-74) for his other top 20 this year. He tied for 41^st at the Bill Cullum Invitational and, in his first start this year in USC's win at the Southwestern Invitational, he provided two counting scores. He has five rounds under 70.

* Junior Ryan Slater has played twice, topped by a tie for 54^th at the Western Intercollegiate.

* Freshman Cameron Henry, a 2017 U.S. Amateur qualifier, made his collegiate debut at the Western Intercollegiate and dis so with a bang, tying for fifth at 4-under 206 (66-69-71). He posted seven birdies in his debut round and had four in the second round.

* Also available are sophomore reserve Owen Calvin-Smith.

* The Trojans lost two members of the squad after the fall semester. Junior starter Cheng Jin left the program to join the PGA Tour China, which he qualified for in the spring. Junior walk-on Ing Ratanavadi has also left the squad.

HEAD COACH CHRIS ZAMBRI
Chris Zambri, a former USC All-Pac-10 performer and longtime Nationwide Tour veteran, is in his 13th year as USC's men's golf head coach, establishing himself as one of the top coaches in the nation with a recent string of three consecutive NCAA Championships quarterfinal match-play appearances – including one final and one semifinal berth -- among 11 total trips to the NCAA Championships final week.

Zambri's teams have won 32 events, including conference titles in 2007, 2011 and 2018 and NCAA Regionals in 2008, 2012 and 2017. His 2015 team was a program-best NCAA Championships runner-up, followed up by an NCAA semifinal finish in 2016 and a quarterfinal appearance in 2017. His 2008 team came within three strokes of first place at the NCAAs. Trojan golfers have also won 30 individual crowns under Zambri.

Zambri's Trojans put together a streak of 11 consecutive NCAA final appearances that was tied for the nation's longest streak before it ended in 2018. Troy had also been one of only three schools to advance out of NCAA regional play each season since it was split into six sections in 2009. Troy's streak of three straight top 8 finishes between 2015-17 was its best since five top 7 results in a row between 1973-77.

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Players Mentioned

Owen Calvin-Smith

Cameron Henry

Cheng Jin

Sam Kim

Kaito Onishi

Ing Ratanavadi

Charlie Reiter

Ryan Slater

Justin Suh

Kyle Suppa

Issei Tanabe