It was deja vu in the first round of the National Invitational Tournament for Chun An Yu in Tucson.
One year after winning the event, An Yu shot a 9-under 63 to take the first-round lead at the OMNI Tucson National (par 72/7,200 Yards). Through 16 holes of round two, he is at 11-under as darkness suspended play. He is one shot off the lead held by Shintaro Ban of UNLV.
UNLV currently leads at 35-under after shooting 10-under 278 in the first round, followed by ASU (-33) and host Arizona (-25).
How good was An Yu's 9-under 63? Sun Devil records have it as one of just six rounds of 9-under or better in school history, as Chun put his name on a chart that includes Paul Casey, Jeff Quinney and Jon Rahm.
@SUNDEVILMGOLF 9-UNDER OR BETTER SCORES
60/-10, Paul Casey, 1999 Pac-10 Championship (fourth round)
62/-10, Jeff Quinney, 1999 ASU Thunderbird Invitational (third round)
61/-9, Jon Rahm, 2013 NCAA Championship (first round)
62/-9, Jon Rahm, 2014 ASU Thunderbird Invitational (first round)
63/-9, Chun An Yu, 2018 National Invitational (first round)
63/-9, Kendall Critchfield, 2004 ASU Thunderbird Invitational (first round)
In addition to An Yu, both Koichiro Ishika and Blake Wagoner are in the top-10 as they are both at 7-under. Alex del Rey is at 4-under and tied for 23rd while Mason Andersen is a 2-under. Freshman Paul Chaplet, playing as an individual, is at 8-under after shooting a 65 in the first round.
NATIONAL INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT
OMNI TUCSON NATIONAL
PAR 72/7,200 YARDS
FEB. 25-26, 2018
TEAM LEADERS (SECOND ROUND NOT COMPLETE)
1. UNLV 278/-26
2. ARIZONA STATE 267/-33
3. ARIZONA 279/-25
INDIVIDUAL LEADER/SUN DEVIL SCORES (SECOND ROUND NOT COMPLETE)
1. Shintaro Ban, UNLV 68 (-12)
2. Chun An Yu 63 (-11)
T6. Paul Chaplet (I) 65 (-8)
T10. Koichiro Ishika 67 (-7)
T10. Blake Wagoner 68 (-7)
T23. Alex del Rey 73 (-4)
T29. Mason Andersen 69 (-2)
T42. Anthony Truong (I) 68 (E)
T57. Jino Sohn (I) 72 (+2)
THE FIELD: (GCAA RANK): Colorado State (23), Arizona State, Arizona, Iowa State, North Texas, Sacramento State, UNLV, Nevada, Princeton, Santa Clara, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico State, Rutgers University, San Diego, and UTEP.
LAST YEARS SUCCESS: Arizona State had a good showing overall last year in NIT, with the team finishing second with a 27-under 837. They were led by freshman Chun An Yu, who was playing in just his third collegiate event and shot a final round 64, which led him to the title. With that win he joined the likes of Jon Rahm and Paul Casey as freshman who have earned top honors in events since 1995. Also, Yu shot two of his best five last year out in Tucson.
CHUN AN YU's BEST ROUNDS
63, 2018 National Invitational (Tucson, Ariz.)
63, 2017 Thunderbird Invitational (Tempe, Ariz.)
64, 2017 National Invitational (Tucson, Ariz.)
66, 2017 Transamerica/Western Intercollegiate (Santa Cruz, Calif.)
66, 2018 Alister MacKenzie (Fairfax, Calif.)
67, 2017 National Invitational (Tucson, Ariz.)
67, 2017 Thunderbird Invitational (Tempe, Ariz.)
67, 2018 Amer Ari Intercollegiate (Waikoloa, Hawaii)
One year after winning the event, An Yu shot a 9-under 63 to take the first-round lead at the OMNI Tucson National (par 72/7,200 Yards). Through 16 holes of round two, he is at 11-under as darkness suspended play. He is one shot off the lead held by Shintaro Ban of UNLV.
UNLV currently leads at 35-under after shooting 10-under 278 in the first round, followed by ASU (-33) and host Arizona (-25).
How good was An Yu's 9-under 63? Sun Devil records have it as one of just six rounds of 9-under or better in school history, as Chun put his name on a chart that includes Paul Casey, Jeff Quinney and Jon Rahm.
@SUNDEVILMGOLF 9-UNDER OR BETTER SCORES
60/-10, Paul Casey, 1999 Pac-10 Championship (fourth round)
62/-10, Jeff Quinney, 1999 ASU Thunderbird Invitational (third round)
61/-9, Jon Rahm, 2013 NCAA Championship (first round)
62/-9, Jon Rahm, 2014 ASU Thunderbird Invitational (first round)
63/-9, Chun An Yu, 2018 National Invitational (first round)
63/-9, Kendall Critchfield, 2004 ASU Thunderbird Invitational (first round)
In addition to An Yu, both Koichiro Ishika and Blake Wagoner are in the top-10 as they are both at 7-under. Alex del Rey is at 4-under and tied for 23rd while Mason Andersen is a 2-under. Freshman Paul Chaplet, playing as an individual, is at 8-under after shooting a 65 in the first round.
NATIONAL INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT
OMNI TUCSON NATIONAL
PAR 72/7,200 YARDS
FEB. 25-26, 2018
TEAM LEADERS (SECOND ROUND NOT COMPLETE)
1. UNLV 278/-26
2. ARIZONA STATE 267/-33
3. ARIZONA 279/-25
INDIVIDUAL LEADER/SUN DEVIL SCORES (SECOND ROUND NOT COMPLETE)
1. Shintaro Ban, UNLV 68 (-12)
2. Chun An Yu 63 (-11)
T6. Paul Chaplet (I) 65 (-8)
T10. Koichiro Ishika 67 (-7)
T10. Blake Wagoner 68 (-7)
T23. Alex del Rey 73 (-4)
T29. Mason Andersen 69 (-2)
T42. Anthony Truong (I) 68 (E)
T57. Jino Sohn (I) 72 (+2)
THE FIELD: (GCAA RANK): Colorado State (23), Arizona State, Arizona, Iowa State, North Texas, Sacramento State, UNLV, Nevada, Princeton, Santa Clara, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico State, Rutgers University, San Diego, and UTEP.
LAST YEARS SUCCESS: Arizona State had a good showing overall last year in NIT, with the team finishing second with a 27-under 837. They were led by freshman Chun An Yu, who was playing in just his third collegiate event and shot a final round 64, which led him to the title. With that win he joined the likes of Jon Rahm and Paul Casey as freshman who have earned top honors in events since 1995. Also, Yu shot two of his best five last year out in Tucson.
CHUN AN YU's BEST ROUNDS
63, 2018 National Invitational (Tucson, Ariz.)
63, 2017 Thunderbird Invitational (Tempe, Ariz.)
64, 2017 National Invitational (Tucson, Ariz.)
66, 2017 Transamerica/Western Intercollegiate (Santa Cruz, Calif.)
66, 2018 Alister MacKenzie (Fairfax, Calif.)
67, 2017 National Invitational (Tucson, Ariz.)
67, 2017 Thunderbird Invitational (Tempe, Ariz.)
67, 2018 Amer Ari Intercollegiate (Waikoloa, Hawaii)