Men's Golf Looks to Defend Title at MW Championships
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico men’s golf team is set to defend its Mountain West title Friday and Saturday at the 2021 Mountain West Championships in Tucson, Ariz.
The Lobos will be competing at the 7,167-yard, par-72 Omni Tucson National Golf Course in Tucson. This weekend will mark the second trip this season for the Lobos to the course as UNM got a preview in March when they competed at the N.I.T. hosted by Arizona. UNM shot a -14 and was the highest-placing Mountain West squad in the field.
New Mexico is defending its 2019 Mountain West Champion title, which it won on the same course two seasons ago. Last season’s championship was cancelled due to COVID-19.
The Lobos have come away with a Mountain West-record seven championships since the beginning of the league, all of which have been in head coach Glen Millican’s tenure. The last two times UNM has claimed the crown, a Lobo has also taken the individual title, Galven Green (2019) and Gavin Green (2014).
New Mexico enters the tournament the second-ranked team in the Mountain West at No. 29. The Lobos are preceded slightly by San Diego State, which ranks No. 26 in the nation by GolfStat.
.@JKurtz_MWN previews the 2021 #MWMGOLF ⛳️ Championship with a look at the top threats to win a title.@AztecMGolf@BroncoSportsMGF@FresnoStateMG@UNMLoboMGolf#AtThePeak pic.twitter.com/w3y225P6UV
— Mountain West (@MountainWest) April 29, 2021
UNM’s lineup is set to feature junior Sam Choi at the top spot, who is currently ranked No. 27 in the country by GolfStat as an individual and is the third-highest ranked player in the league. He is just behind Boise State’s Hugo Townsend (#17) and Fresno State’s Tommy Stephenson (#22).
Choi, who has racked up three top-10 finishes on the season, is joined by sophomore Albert Boneta, who earned his first collegiate overall win at the Thunderbird Collegiate April 17.
Also in the lineup for UNM are freshmen Bastien Amat and Matthew Watkins. The pair finished under par in UNM’s last competition with Amat tying for fifth-place overall (-9).
Rounding out the Lobo lineup is junior Brandon Shong who has seen action in all but one of UNM’s contests this season with one top-20 finish, which at the N.I.T. on the same course as the MW Championships.
Fans will be able to follow live via GolfStat. UNM tees off at 7 a.m. PT, 8 a.m. MT.