No. 3 USC, Coming Off Win Tuesday, To Start Southern Highlands Collegiate Sunday

The No. 3 USC men's golf team, a three-time winner this season among five top 4 finishes and coming off a win earlier this week at the Southwestern Invitational, turns its immediate attention to the Southern Highlands Collegiate, set for Sunday through Tuesday (March 3-5) at the Southern Highlands G.C. in Las Vegas.

The Trojans, the defending 2018 Pac-12 champions, won the tournament in 2016 and 2017 while senior Justin Suh, who just captured his second individual title this season at the Southwestern, is the defending champ of the Vegas tournament, one of two Trojans who have won it.

The 15-team field includes (with Golfweek rankings) Auburn (17), California (11), Florida, Georgia Tech (4), Illinois, Oklahoma (6), Pepperdine (13), Stanford (38), TCU, Texas (10), Texas Tech, UCF, UCLA, UNLV, USC (3).

Play will begin at 9 a.m. all three days off the first and 10^th tees. For the first time, the individual champion will receive an exemption into the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, Oct. 3-6, at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas.

Golfweek.com will provide live coverage of Monday and Tuesday's action via a livestream beginning at 12 p.m. both days.

FALL/SPRING RECAP
The Trojans won their final two events of Fall play, claiming the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate Invitational and the Saint Mary's Invitational, and won the Southwestern Invitational for their first spring title.

At Saint Mary's, USC erased a 17-stroke deficit to start the final round and a double-digit disadvantage at the turn to win by 13 strokes. The Trojans closed with a final round 265, its best effort in over 13 years, winning the tournament at 21-under 831 (290-276-265), leapfrogging three teams over the final 18 holes, including second-round leader BYU. Issei Tanabe led USC with a second-place finish at 8-under 205 (72-68-65) while Kyle Suppa tied for fourth and Kaito Onishi tied for ninth.

USC also came from behind to capture its first tournament of the year in Georgia, winning by a stroke at 22-under 842 (278-280-284). Justin Suh won his and the Trojans' first individual crown of the season, taking first at 14-under 202 (67-67-68), winning by four strokes.

The Trojans lost and then reclaimed the final round lead en route to a one-stroke win at the Southwestern Invitational. Suh birdied 18 to break a stalemate with Cal and give USC the win at 4-under 860 (284-285-291). Suh also won the individual title by five strokes at 12-under 204 (68-68-68), his eighth career title.

The Trojans finished second in their season opener at the Fighting Illini Invitational at 7-over 847 (287-281-279), Onishi leading USC in third at 3-under 207 (68-69-70)

TROJAN NOTES
* USC features three players ranked in Golfweek's top 200 (as of Feb. 22). Suh is fifth, Onishi is 25^th, Tanabe is 55^th, Suppa is 155^th and Reiter is 170^th.

* Suh has started his senior year with six straight top 15 finishes, including five in the top 10 and four in the top 4. In addition to his wins at the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate Invitational at 14-under 202 (67-67-68) and at the Southwestern Invitational at 12-under 204 (68-68-68), he tied for fourth at the Fighting Illini Invitational at 2-under 208 (73-67-68), tied for 10^th at the Nike Golf Collegiate Invitational at 1-under 209 (70-69-70), tied for 15^th at the Saint Mary's Invitational at 1-under 212 (75-70-67) and tied for fourth at the Amer Ari Invitational at 13-under 203 (68-64-71).

Suh leads the Trojans with a 68.78 stroke average over 18 rounds, including 12 rounds of 69 or better. His stroke average is 0.05 off the school record he set last year. He has posted par or better in 16 of 18 rounds. Suh took over the top spot in the World Amateur Golf Rankings in mid-October, moving past Braden Thornberry while Cal's Collin Morikawa remained third.

Suh was ranked fifth in the fall Arnold Palmer Cup Rankings for the U.S. squad and moved up to third in the first spring rankings. Suh is also on the 2019 Ben Hogan Award Watch List.

He is coming off one of the top seasons in USC history. The senior from San Jose, Calif., won a USC-record five tournaments, capped by the Pac-12 Championships individual title. He also broke USC's season records for stroke average (68.73), lowering Jamie Lovemark's 2007 mark (70.10). Suh's 21 rounds under 70 in 2018 also broke Lovemark's school standard of 20 from the same season.

In addition to his 21 rounds in the 60s, he had 23 rounds under par and 28 of par or better in 33 rounds. In addition to his 21 rounds in the 60s, he had 23 rounds under par and 28 of par or better in 33 rounds.

Suh was one of five finalists for the Jack Nicklaus Award, among 10 semifinalists for the 2018 Ben Hogan Award and was among the top 3 all season on the 2018 Haskins Award Watch List. He also played on the 2018 Palmer Cup Team and represented the U.S. at the 2018 World Amateur Team Championships, helping the American squad to second place and tied for third overall.

* Sophomore Kaito Onishi is second on the team in stroke average at 70.67 in 15 rounds with four rounds in the 60s. He has posted a quartet of top 15 finishes this year, including his third at the Fighting Illini Invitational at 3-under 207 (68-69-70). He was also 3-under with a tie for ninth at the Saint Mary's Invitational (210=73-71-66), even (216=69-72-75) to tie for 10^th at the Southwestern Invitational and was 3-under with a tie for 15^th at the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate Invitational (213=70-74-69).

Onishi was ranked fifth in the fall Arnold Palmer Cup Rankings for the international squad and fifth in the most recent spring rankings.

Onishi was second on the squad last year in stroke average (71.85) and rounds in the 60s (eight). Included in the early-season Arnold Palmer Cup rankings for the international team (15^th), he had a pair of top 4 finishes, four top 20s and seven results in the top 28.

* Junior Kyle Suppa has four top 19 finishes this season, is fourth on the team with a 72.33 stroke average and has four rounds under 70. He tied for fourth at 5-under 208 (73-68-67) at the Saint Mary's Invitational – a career-best effort – and tied for seventh at 5-under 211 (70-67-74) at the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate Invitational. He then tied for 12^th at the Amer Ari Invitational at 7-under 209 (71-65-73).

* Sophomore Issei Tanabe is third on the Trojans with a stroke average of 71.33 in 15 rounds, including seven rounds in the 60s, second-best on the team. He posted a USC career-best second in USC's come-from behind win at the Saint Mary's Invitational, taking second at 8-under 205 (72-68-65). He also tied for fourth at the Bill Cullum Invitational at 6-under 209 (69-74-66) and tied for 12^th at the Amer Ari Invitational at 7-under 209 (69-68-72).

* Freshman Charlie Reiter has started five of USC's events. He finished with three rounds in the 60s and a stroke average of 71.58 in fall play. He posted a season-best tie for 23^rd at the Nike Golf Collegiate at 4-over 214 (69-72-73).

* Senior Sam Kim has seen action in three events, including a tie for 41^st at the Bill Cullum Invitational and his first start this year in USC's win at the Southwestern Invitational, where he provided two counting scores. He has a pair of 69s this year. Junior Ryan Slater has played once. Also available are sophomore reserve Owen Calvin-Smith and freshman Cameron Henry, a 2017 U.S. Amateur qualifier.

* The Trojans lost two members of the squad after the fall semester. Junior starter Cheng Jin left the program to join the PGA Tour China, which he qualified for in the spring. Junior walk-on Ing Ratanavadi has also left the squad.

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Players Mentioned

Owen Calvin-Smith

Cameron Henry

Cheng Jin

Sam Kim

Kaito Onishi

Ing Ratanavadi

Charlie Reiter

Ryan Slater

Justin Suh

Kyle Suppa

Issei Tanabe