SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The San Diego State men's golf team is riding high after winning its fourth straight Mountain West Championship. Now, the team has its sights set on reaching the NCAA Championship at Omni La Costa Resort.
The Aztecs learned during Monday's NCAA selection show that they'll be heading to Tallahassee, Florida, for regionals, where they'll need to finish in the top five to advance to the championship in Carlsbad.
"There's a lot of belief flowing through the room right now and everybody really knows how good each other's game is, and I think when a whole team has that belief, they can be dangerous and I think that's the mindset we're going to take to the postseason," senior captain Justin Hastings said.
Confidence is soaring for the team after Hastings recently shot a 52, which was 10 under par, to help secure the conference championship and NCAA tournament berth.
Team members gathered on campus to watch the selection show, erupting in cheers when they learned their destination. While the cross-country trip presents challenges, longtime coach Ryan Donovan remains unfazed.
"The guys will adjust. They're young, they're hungry, they just want to compete, so we're going to treat it that way. We won't make it a big deal that we're going across the country, and like I said, we plan on being back here at La Costa the week after," Donovan said.
For Hastings, a native of the Cayman Islands, extensive travel is nothing new. He recently competed in the Masters after qualifying by winning the Latin American Amateur Championship, finishing as the low amateur in his two rounds at Augusta National.
"I think the best advice I got was from Patrick Reed in the practice round. He was really big on just playing your game," Hastings said.
The Aztecs earned a 3-seed in the Tallahassee Regional and will rely on their exceptional depth, with five scores counting in every round.
While golf is typically viewed as an individual sport, Donovan realizes the importance of the team culture.
"We don't talk about individual titles at all; it's all about the team, so we kind of put that in their head," Donovan said.
Donovan has found the perfect team leader in Hastings.
"His mind is so strong, and golf is such a mental game. He's worked at that over the years," Donovan said.
The feeling is mutual for Hastings, who embraces his leadership role.
"I take pride in being a leader on this team. These guys are great. I love them like brothers," Hastings said.
The NCAA Regionals begin on May 12.
This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
