April 7, 2012
• ASU Thunderbird Invitational TEMPE, Ariz. - Washington combined to shoot 4-over 288 in the final round of the ASU Thunderbird Invitational on Saturday to end up fifth out of 17 teams competing in the two day, 54-hole tournament. The Huskies shot even par in two rounds on Friday and ended up with a score of 856 (+4), 21 shots back of tournament champions California. The Golden Bears rolled to a 12-shot victory over San Diego State and New Mexico. UNLV's Derek Ernst took home the individual trophy after a round of 68 at the par-71, 7,026-yard Karsten Golf Course put him -9 for the tournament. He beat Austin Quick of host Arizona State by two strokes. The Huskies had won two straight tournaments at the golf course, both coming in 2010, but could not duplicate that magic this weekend. "We just are not playing well right now," Husky Coach Matt Thurmond said from Arizona. "We are not quite contending to win at the top of our lineup and we are only getting big scores from the bottom."
Junior Chris Williams, who was the 2010 individual winner of this event, was the Dawgs' top finisher. He shot 4-under 67 on Saturday to end up at 209 (-4) overall. The All-American from Moscow, Idaho tied for 8th in the 95-player field. It gives him 18 career top-10 finishes, tying him with Rob Rashell for third most in team history. Williams had three birdies and an eagle through 14 holes to get as low as -5 for the round, but a bogey on No. 16 brought him back to 4-under, where he would ultimately end up. Freshman Cheng-Tsung Pan was second among Huskies, notching a 13th-place finish. He was -3 for the tournament, one shot outside of the top-10. Pan was even through 17 on Saturday, but a double-bogeyed on 18 put him 2-over for the round. He finished with a 73 after he shot 68 and 69 in Friday's first two rounds. Charlie Hughes tied for 28th at 5-over 218. He shot a 76 after carding 70 and 72 on Friday. Simsby had the second best day among Huskies behind Williams, shooting a 1-over 72. He had three birdies and four bogeys on the day. Simsby ended up +6 for the tournament. He had back-to-back 72's after starting the tournament with a 75. Larry Iverson shot 79 in the final round and ended up tied for 89th at +24. He got off to a rough start with an 84 in the first round, but shot 74 and 79 in the ensuing rounds. The Huskies will have a couple of weeks off before heading to Corvallis, Ore. for the 2012 Pac-12 Championships at Trysting Tree Golf Course. The three day championship runs April 27-29. Thurmond is confident his six-man squad will be prepared for the first-ever Pac-12 Championship. "We'll be hungry and ready," he stated.
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