The Chico State men's golf team is just getting started in 2022-23, having played its first event of the season two weeks ago. But an opportunity like they have this week will only come around once this season. On Monday and Tuesday the Wildcats will host the Wildcat Classic at Peach Tree Golf and Country Club in Marysville. It marks their only home event of the campaign.
Chico State will have an "A" and "B" team in the 11-team field that includes defending California Collegiate Athletic Association Champion Sonoma State, currently ranked No. 25 in the nation. Four other teams that received votes in the latest Golf Coaches Association of America poll—Simon Fraser, Holy Names, Cal State San Marcos, and Cal State Monterey—are also in the field. They are joined by Academy of Art, Cal State San Bernardino, Dominican, and Stanislaus State. The 66-player field also includes individuals from UC Davis and Sacramento State.
The golfers will tee off on the par-72, 6,880-yard layout Monday at 8:30 in a shotgun start. The teams will play two rounds Monday before returning for Tuesday's final round, which will also begin with an 8:30 shotgun start. That final circuit will feature a slightly modified layout (par-72, 6,910-yards).
Chico State is coming off a sixth-place finish out of 17 teams at the season-opening Western Washington Invitational. Following their home event, the Wildcats will play at Cal State Monterey Bay and then spend a week in Hawaii, where they will play two tournaments in five days, two wrap up the fall portion of their schedule.
This will mark the first time the Wildcats have hosted a tournament at Peach Tree Golf and Country Club. Previous Wildcat Classics have been played at The Links at Rolling Hills at Butte Creek Country Club. Last year's event was played at Rolling Hills. Stanislaus State earned the team title and Academy of Art's Matthew Watkins was the individual medalist when the final round was canceled due to high winds.
Wildcat Classic History
2021 (The Links at Rolling Hills)
(36 holes, final round canceled due to high winds)
Team Champion: Stanislaus State (+21)
Medalist: Matthew Watkins, Academy of Art (+2)
2019 (Butte Creek Country Club)
Team Champion: Sonoma State (-5)
Medalist: Chris Colla, Chico State (-8)
2017 (The Links at Rolling Hills)
Team Champion: Chico State (-8)
Medalist: Colby Dean, Chico State (-7)
2016 (Butte Creek Country Club)
Team Champion: Chico State (+13)—won drop score tiebreaker vs. Western Washington
Medalist: Nic Beno, Colorado School of Mines (-2)
2015 (Butte Creek Country Club)
Team Champion: Cal State San Marcos (+3)
Medalist: Dylan Healey, Cal State San Marcos (-5)
2014 (Butte Creek Country Club)
Team Champion: Chico State (+1)
Medalist: Adam Stone, Cal State East Bay (-10)
2013 (The Links at Rolling Hills)
Team Champion: Chico State (-5)
Medalist: Ricky Owaki, Chico State (-7)
2012 (The Links at Rolling Hills)
Team Champion: Stanislaus State (-9)
Medalist: Rob Damschen, Stanislaus State (-7)
2011 (The Links at Rolling Hills)
Team Champion: Chico State (+30)
Medalist: Kyle Souza, Chico State (+4)
2010 (Butte Creek Country Club)
Team Champion: Western Washington (+16)
Medalist: John Jackson, Cal State Monterey Bay (-2). Won 3-man playoff against Kenny Pigman (Cal State San Bernardino) and Matt Epstein (Saint Martin's)
2009 (Butte Creek Country Club)
(36 holes, shortened by rain)
Team co-Champions: Chico State and Holy Names (+3)
Medalist: Sylvester Gama, Chico State (-3)—Won playoff against Holy Names' Stephan Edman
2008 (Butte Creek Country Club)
Team Champion: Sonoma State (+9)
Medalist: Jarin Todd, Sonoma State (-2)
2007 (Butte Creek Country Club)
Team Champion: Wayland Baptist (+22)
Medalist: Michael Loppnow, Wayland Baptist (+2)
