Fresno State at The Preserve Golf Club Collegiate
Oct. 28-29 • The Preserve • Carmel, CA
Live Stats: GolfStat.com
Twitter (X): @FresnoStateMG
FRESNO, Calif. — The Fresno State men's golf team will finish the fall schedule at the Preserve Golf Club Collegiate hosted by Cal Poly at Par 72, 7,138-yard Preserve Golf Club.
THE SCHEDULE
Monday, Oct. 28 – 8 a.m. PT, shotgun start
Tuesday, Oct. 29 – 8 a.m. PT, shotgun start
THE FIELD
The 12-team field includes Cal Poly, Cal, Colorado State, Long Beach State, Grand Canyon, Fresno State, LMU, Oregon, Oregon State, San Diego State Utah, and UCLA.
Fresno State will be paired with LMU.
THE LINEUP
Joseph Lloyd
Jaden Hunter
Mason Benbrook
Ryan Firpo
Chris Bettencourt
LAST TIME
The Fresno State men's golf team placed 12th at the Alister MacKenzie Invitational, finishing 18-under 834 at the Meadow Club.
Mason Benbrook had a career-low tournament score of 9-under 204, consistently shooting 68 in all three rounds, which placed him in a tie for 23rd.
Joseph Lloyd jumped 23 spots on the leaderboard after posting a season-low 65 in the third round, finishing at 1-under 212 and tying for 58th. Ryan Firpo and Jake Bettencourt matched Lloyd's score at 1-under, with Firpo recording his best round of the tournament at 69.
Jaden Hunter finished 2-over.
TEE-RIFIC START
Freshman Chris Bettencourt became the second Bulldog to win the opening tournament of his career, shooting an impressive 13-under 203 to claim the Southern Dunes Invitational title.
Competing as an individual, Bettencourt posted a 68 in the first round, 67 in the second round and a 68 in the third round.
BACK ON THE GREEN
Fresno State has five returners, including Mountain West Freshman of the Year Ryan Firpo.
Firpo competed in all 12 tournaments for the Bulldogs, owning a 72.8 scoring average. He logged two Top 25 finishes during the season. Firpo was named Mountain West Freshman of the Week on April 18.
Joseph Lloyd competed in all 12 tournaments for the Bulldogs in 2023. He owned a 71.8 scoring average. Lloyd finished in second place at the prestigious Maui Jim Intercollegiate after shooting a career-low 17-under 196, setting a new program record. He recorded two Top 5 finishes and four Top 20 finishes.
NEW TO THE COURSE
Fresno State bolsters its roster with three new additions, including two freshmen and one transfer, all hailing from the Valley.
James Watney transferred to Fresno State after spending his freshman season at Saint Mary's. He competed in six tournaments and finished with a 73.6 stroke average as a true freshman. Watney recorded two top-30 finishes and placed a season-best 28th at the National Invitational Tournament hosted by Arizona. He led Saint Mary's with a 7-under-par performance and an 11th place team finish at the National Invitational Tournament.
Watney, a native of Clovis, Calif., was a four-year letter winner at Buchanan High School and a two-time Tri-River Athletic League Team honoree. He also qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur two years in a row.
Steven Rivera graduated from Bullard High School (Fresno, Calif), where he was a first team All-CMAC selection. He owned the low individual scoring average as he helped lead the Knights to a Valley Championship.
Chris Bettencourt graduated from Buchanan High School (Clovis, Calif.). He is the brother of current Bulldog Jake Bettencourt.
FAMILY LINKS
The Fresno State men's golf program stands on tradition, hard work and brotherhood. It has since its inaugural season in 1959 and the Bulldogs' 2024-'25 roster includes a number of connections to the program's past, as legacies look to uphold that tradition and make their own mark on the golf course and the program.
There's James Watney, the grandson of legendary Fresno State golf coach Mike Watney, son of Josh Watney and cousin of Nick Watney, both former Bulldogs' golfers. Jake and Chris Bettencourt are the sons of three-time All-American Jon Bettencourt.
Coach Chad Spencer and assistant coach Lane Pulliam, both Fresno State alumni, take a lot of pride in upholding the program's tradition.