Courtesy of Stan Liu / SDSU Athletics

Great athletes never shy away from pressure; they covet it.

At least that’s the philosophy San Diego State men’s golf team head coach Ryan Donovan preaches to all of his players.

“We try to keep the pressure on them at all times,” Donovan said of his players. “That’s something that we strongly believe in.”

Through two tournaments this season, Donovan’s philosophy seems to be working. SDSU is off to a great start this season finishing third in the Husky Invitational in Seattle and sixth at the Sycuan Collegiate Invitational in El Cajon yesterday. Coach Donovan hopes his team’s early successes will carry on into November, when it will play in two big tournaments.

Player to watch:
Although it is still very early in the season, Johan Carlsson has distinguished himself from the pack. The sophomore took second place at the Husky Invitational with a 2-under 214 three weeks ago and finished yesterday’s Sycuan Collegiate Invitational in 11th place with a 5-under 211.

“I’d say he’s very capable of holding that ranking,” Donovan said.

Key losses:
The Aztecs have lost three of their senior leaders from last year’s squad, none more evident than All-American Aaron Goldberg. Although the loss of Goldberg hurts SDSU’s chances of replicating last year’s success, Donovan is confident his players will be ready to pick up the slack.

“They definitely are pretty big shoes to fill,” Donovan said. “But with our depth this year, I’m very comfortable with this team.”

Mark your calendars:
The Turtle Bay Resort Invitational on Nov. 10 through the 12 in Kahuku, Hawaii, will be the squad’s final tournament of the fall season. The Aztecs will face some of the toughest competition they will see all year in Hawaii. The tournament will also give the team a chance to set the stage for a promising spring season.

“This really is the best team we’ve had in a long time,” Donovan said. “We are real excited about the year.”

Newcomer to watch:
Freshman Andrew Cooley is currently ranked 27th in the country. He had an impressive third place finish in the Husky Invitational and finished 28th at the Sycuan Invite yesterday. Cooley is not the only capable newcomer to the team, however. SDSU has the No. 4-ranked freshman class in the entire country, with five out of the 14 players on the roster who are freshmen.

“We’re definitely not afraid to let them play right away,” Donovan said. “Rather than recruiting kids and changing their game, we recruit the best players and give them tools to succeed.”

Quotable:
Regarding the pressure his players face, Donovan said: “It’s a lot different from playing in the tournaments then out playing with your buddies.”