MONDAY, MAY 10, 1999

Men's golf team 7th in tourney

By Manuel Gamiz Jr.

Daily Forty-Niner

The Long Beach State men's golf team finished with a disappointing seventh-place finish at the Big West Conference Tournament.

The 49ers struggled in the first two rounds at the Santa Ana Country Club on April 29 and finished with a 58-over-par score of 922.

"We had some very bad weather for the first two rounds," 49er golf coach Bob Livingstone said. "I don't know what it is, but we can't play good under bad weather.

However, Livingstone said he was very pleased with the team's final round. In the third and final round, the 49ers shot an 8-over-par 296.

"I was very pleased with [John] Mallinger's performance in the final round," Livingstone said. The sophomore eagled the final hole to finish with a 1-under-par 71 in the third round.

The 49ers were led by Mallinger, who finished ninth with a 9-over-par 225. After the tournament, he was named All-Big West second team.

Junior Steve Mena tied for 23rd with a 17-over-par 233, while sophomores Perry Dickey and Kevin Wurtz tied for 26th with 18-over-par scores of 234.

Wurtz had a career-best performance in the final round, firing an even-par 72.

The University of North Texas dominated the tournament from beginning to end. The team wound end up capturing its first Big West title, firing a 32-over-par 896.