Highly ranked field in store for Trojans


Calling itself the host of the best field in college golf, the Southern Highlands Collegiate will welcome 11 of the nation’s top 20 golf teams, including No. 15 USC, to Las Vegas this weekend.

The tournament, hosted by UNLV at the Southern Highlands Golf Club, will provide the Trojans’ young lineup with a stiff test.

“It’s the best field of the year that we’ll play in,” USC coach Chris Zambri said. “But I think we have a good chance to win the thing.”

The Trojans are coming off of a tie for fourth place at their home tournament in Westlake Village, Calif., last week.

Zambri will make one change to his lineup, inserting freshman Stewart Hagestad into the starting five for the first time in the golfer’s career.

“He’s got a nice solid game, and I think the course where we’re going will be good for him,” Zambri said. “Stewart can plod along and make some pars; he’s not real erratic, and that’s what we’re looking for.”

Hagestad, playing as an individual last week in the USC Collegiate, shot a pair of 69s in the final two rounds and finished the tournament tied for 43rd.

The Trojans will be led this weekend by freshman T.J. Vogel, who shot 9 under par at the USC Collegiate and finished in second place overall.

Sophomore Steve Lim and freshman Martin Trainer have been consistent performers so far this spring for USC and will be in the lineup again.

Zambri is also counting on a better performance from two-time All-American Matt Giles. Giles was so unhappy with his performance at the USC Collegiate, where he shot a final round of 83 and finished in a tie for 75th, that the junior drove out to Scottsdale, Ariz., last weekend to meet with his swing coach.

“When you’re playing well, generally you’re just thinking about the shot at hand and that’s about it,” Giles said, noting that he was worrying too much about his swing last week. “I feel much more confident about my game now heading into this week than in the past couple of weeks.”

The tournament tees off Friday at 8 a.m.