Cougars Finish Second at Season-Opening Golfweek Fall Challenge

PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. – Washington State fifth-year senior Pono Yanagi shared medalist honors while Washington State Men’s Golf fired a final-round of 275, 13-under par, to finish one stroke behind Loyola Marymount Tuesday at the 2023 Golfweek Fall Challenge, played at the par 72, 7005-yard True Blue Golf Club.
 
“I’m proud of how the guys competed this week and kept the pedal down,” said WSU Head Coach Dustin White. “No doubt we would have taken 46-under at the start. We’ve been on the other side, and won by a shot or two, so this will be good for us. It will make us even tougher and show us how to finish.
 
“Winning is tough and our guys gave themselves a chance – which is all you can ask for,” White continued. “So many good things coming out of this week to prepare us for the rest of the fall. Pono continued his solid play and had a great week. All in all, it was a great experience for the guys.”
 
WSU began Tuesday with a two-stroke lead and shot the third-lowest round of the day at -13, but first-day leader Loyola Marymount went 16-under to capture the one-stoke victory. The Cougars ended the three-day event at 46-under par, 818, setting the program record for lowest three-round team score to par and the second-lowest three-round team score.
 
Individually, Yanagi finished his three rounds at 17-under, 199, tied with Arkansas State’s Thomas Schmidt atop the player leaderboard. It marked Yanagi’s first tournament win as a Coug while posting the lowest score to par in WSU Men’s Golf history. Yanagi carded seven birdies on his round of 67 Tuesday as all five Cougar golfers finished the event under par.
 
Sophomore Sam Renner capped the best tournament of his young Cougar career as he carded a 3-under 69 Tuesday, giving him a three-round score of 204 (-12). Renner’s 12-under tied for the third-lowest score to par in program history, equaling the mark set by Cougar Head Coach Dustin White in 2002. Renner had five birdies on his round as he finished the event in sixth place.
 
Senior Nate Plaster finished Tuesday’s round at 1-over, 73, giving him a three-day total of 211 (-5), tied for 24th. Plaster recorded five birdies on his round and was at 2-under through 11 holes before finishing +3 over his final seven holes.
 
Redshirt-freshman Ben Borgida and senior Preston Bebich each finished the tournament a 4-under, 212. Borgida had…