Sugar Grove, Ill.—Sun Devil juniors and GCAA first-team All-Americans Jon Rahm and Max Rottluff will play for Team Europe in the 2015 Palmer Cup, June 12-14, at Rich Harvest Farms outside Sugar Grove, Ill. The team will be coached by France’s Jean Van de Velde and Janice Moodie of Scotland.
Rahm was a member of last year’s victorious European squad (click here for story). Other Sun Devils in the Palmer Cup were 2000 U.S. Amateur Champion Jeff Quinney (2001), 2003 NCAA Champion Alejandro Canizares (2003-06), Stephan Gross (2009), James Byrne (2010), and Jesper Kennegard (2010).
TEAM EUROPE
RANKING SELECTIONS
Jon Rahm, Arizona State - Spain
Max Rottluff, Arizona State - Germany
Rowin Caron, Florida State - Netherlands
Adrian Meronk, ETSU - Poland
Clement Sordet, Texas Tech - France
Thomas Detry, Illinois - Belgium
COMMITTEE SELECTIONS
Gary Hurley, Maynooth - Ireland
Matthias Schwab, Vanderbilt - Austria
R&A FOUNDATION SCHOLARS TOURNAMENT SELECTION
Mathias Eggenberger, Stirling - Liechtenstein
COACH’S PICK
Pep Angles, Central Arkansas – Spain
The 2015 Ben Hogan award recipient (click here for story), Rahm won four tournaments this season including the NCAA Regional in San Diego. He posted 24 rounds (out of 41) in the 60s, and has the second-best stroke average in the nation (69.15). His 3.93 scoring average on par-4 holes is the best in the nation and he has 32 eagles in his career. His 12-under 272 (70-68-66-68) at the Waste Management Open in late January fell just short of his quest to be the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event since former Sun Devil Phil Mickelson won the Northern Telecom Open in 1991, but that certainly didn’t diminish what happened during the week. He hit 51-of-72 greens in regulation and had an average drive of more than 300 yards. The only amateur in the field of 132, the two-time honorable mention All-American had his way with the par-71, 7,266-yard TPC Scottsdale layout. He became the first amateur to finish in the top-five of a PGA TOUR event since Chris Wood (fifth) at the 2008 British Open and Justin Rose (tied for fourth) at the 1998 British Open.
RAHM TROPHY CASE: Junior Jon Rahm has seven career wins, the third-most in Sun Devil history. Only Billy Mayfair (eight) and Phil Mickelson (16) are ahead of him. He has won seven collegiate tournaments in three states (Arizona, California, and Oregon).
MOST @ASUMENSGOLF TOURNAMENT WINS
Phil Mickelson (1988-92), 16
Billy Mayfair (1984-88), 8
Jon Rahm (2012-Present), 7
Alejandro Canizares (2002-06), 6
Charlie Gibson (1972-75), 6
Paul Casey (1997-2000), 6
JON RAHM SEVEN TOURNAMENT WINS
NCAA San Diego Regional (May 14-16, 2015)
ASU Thunderbird Invitational (April 3-4, 2015)
Duck Invitational (Mar. 23-24, 2015)
Bill Cullum Invitational (Oct. 20-21, 2014)
ASU Thunderbird Invitational (Mar. 21-23, 2014)
San Diego Classic (Mar. 11-12, 2013)
Bill Cullum Invitational (Oct. 21-22, 2012)
Averaging 69.81 through 14 tournaments, Rottluff had a standout junior year for the Sun Devils. Rottluff recorded nine top-10 finishes on the season, five of which were top-five finishes—more than in his freshman and sophomore seasons combined. In October, the junior won his first collegiate individual title at the Alister MacKenzie Invitational. To kick off the Sun Devils’ spring campaign, Rottluff won another title at the Arizona Intercollegiate and led the squad to its first team title of the season. Shooting a 10-under 203 (70-65-68), Rottluff carded the most birdies (15) of that tournament and was 7-under on par-four holes.
In Rahm’s back-to-back wins at the Oregon Duck Invitational and the ASU Thunderbird Invitational, Rottluff was right there beside him placing second in both tournaments, just one stroke behind his teammate each time. Rottluff posted a career-low 63 in the second round of the ASU Thunderbird Invitational, carding eight birdies on the day and 16 overall.