June 1, 2000
OPELIKA, Ala.- The Arizona State men's golf team tied for 25th after the second round of play at the 30-team NCAA Championships held at the Grand National Golf Club Lake Course (par-72/7,003 yards). The Sun Devils shot a 2-over 290 and missed the 15-team cut for the first time since it was instituted in 1992. The Sun Devils, Oklahoma State and Florida were the only schools to make the 15-team cut every year since it was instituted nine years ago. Florida did not make the NCAAs this year, and ASU missed the cut by seven strokes with its 13-over 589 (299-290).
The fifth-seeded Sun Devils had posted 12 straight top-10 NCAA finishes and five straight top five finishes, the best current marks in the nation entering the tournament, but could not rebound from an 11-over 299 in the first round. ASU was tied for 25th after the first round.
"It is extremely disappointing and you know that in this game anything can happen," said ASU eighth-year head coach Randy Lein. "We know how UNLV felt in 1997, how Georgia felt in 1998 and how Georgia Tech felt last year. Those are three great programs who had the same thing happen to them. It is a humbling feeling. This season has been a good one, but it is not the way you want to finish."
UNLV did not make the cut in 1997 but came back and won the title in 1998. Georgia did not make the cut in 1998 but came back and won the title in 1999. Georgia Tech (280-282=562/-14) did not make the cut last year and is five shots behind leader Oklahoma State (281-276=557/-19) after two rounds.
"Everyone knows this game can humble you. Even last night, we felt we could come back and get into contention. But that first round caught up to us today."
Sun Devil junior Jeff Quinney, a second-team All-American last year, shot an even 144 (72-72) to lead the Sun Devils. Nine individuals not on teams competing in the third and fourth rounds advance, and Quinney will be involved in a five- or seven-man playoff for the final three spots. Quinney will be competing with Robert Hamilton and Jesse Ruda of California, Matt Cohn of Oklahoma and Joel Hendry of New Mexico. Brett Wanner and Jay Morgan of Wake Forest also could be playing for an individual spot, depending on how a team playoff between Wake Forest and Georgia finishes. No Georgia players shot par, so they will not be involved in an individual playoff.
Sixth-seeded BYU, who played with ASU both days, also did not make the cut and finished at 17-over 593 (299-294). Defending champion Georgia, who also played with ASU, and Wake Forest will have a playoff for the final spot as both finished at 6-over 582.
Junior two-time All-American and three-time defending Pac-10 champion Paul Casey shot a 4-over 148 (76-72). Casey entered the tournament with the best stroke average in the 156-player field at 69.57. Casey's 72 on Thursday gave him a 69.87 stroke average for the year, breaking Phil Mickelson's ASU record of 69.95 set back in his senior season (1991-92).
Junior Jin Park, playing in his third NCAA Championship, also shot a 4-over 148 (75-73).
Senior Jonas Runnquist, playing in his first NCAA Championships, shot a 5-over 149 (76-73). Sophomore Matt Jones, playing in his second NCAA Championships, posted a 9-over 153 (79-74).
ASU, one of just two schools to win two NCAA crowns in the 1990s, is one of eight schools to win the NCAAs in the past eight years. ASU won the title in 1996, while others to win it in the past eight years are Arizona (1992), Florida (1993), Stanford (1994), Oklahoma State (1995), Pepperdine (1996), UNLV (1998), and Georgia (1999). The Sun Devils, making their 17th straight appearance in the NCAAs, trailed only Oklahoma State (54) and Clemson (19) in current consecutive appearances. Florida had a 17-year streak snapped this year.
Full results can be accessed on the Auburn website at http://www.auburn.edu/athletics/ncaagolf.
MICKELSON STILL IN THE RECORD BOOKS: Sun Devil great Phil Mickelson still holds the NCAA Championship record (or is tied) for first round score (9-under 63), 36-hole score (16-under 128), 54-hole score (19-under 197) and total score (17-under 271). All those numbers were posted in the 1992 championships at Albuquerque.
Team Standings (Par 288-288=576)
| 1. | Oklahoma State | 281-276=557 (-19) |
| 2. | Texas | 272-286=558 (-18) |
| 3. | Georgia Tech | 280-282=562 (-14) |
| 4. | North Carolina | 288-282=570 (-6) |
| 5. | Kent | 288-283=571 (-5) |
| T6. | Houston | 284-289=573 (-3) |
| T6. | UNLV | 286-287=573 (-3) |
| 8. | Arizona | 286-289=575 (-1) |
| T9. | Auburn | 290-288=578 (+2) |
| T9. | Clemson | 291-287=578 (+2) |
| T9. | Fresno State | 293-285=578 (+2) |
| T9. | TCU | 289-289=578 (+2) |
| T13. | Minnesota | 290-290=580 (+4) |
| T13. | Northwestern | 287-293=580 (+4) |
| T15. | Wake Forest | 292-290=582 (+6) |
| T15. | Georgia | 292-290=582 (+6) |
*Georgia and Wake Forest will be involved in a playoff at 7:15 a.m. CT for the final spot.
DID NOT MAKE 15-TEAM CUT
| T17. | California | 300-283=583 (+7) |
| T17. | East Tennessee State | 286-297=583 (+7) |
| T19. | Mississippi State | 288-296=584 (+8) |
| T19. | New Mexico | 286-298=584 (+8) |
| 21. | Kansas | 291-294=585 (+9) |
| 22. | Georgia State | 295-292=587 (+11) |
| T23. | Oklahoma | 294-294=588 (+12) |
| T23. | Pepperdine | 295-293=588 (+12) |
| T25. | Arizona State | 299-290=589 (+13) |
| T25. | Virginia | 299-290=589 (+13) |
| 27. | North Florida | 294-296=590 (+14) |
| 28. | Brigham Young | 299-294=593 (+17) |
| 29. | USC | 299-300=599 (+23) |
| 30. | Washington | 301-312=613 (+37) |
Individual Standings (Par 72-72=144)
| T1. | Charles Howell, Oklahoma State | 67-66=133 (-11) |
| T1. | David Gossett, Texas | 63-70=133 (-11) |
| 3. | Chris Wisler, East Tennessee State | 67-68=135 (-9) |
| 4. | J.J. Wall, Texas | 65-71=136 (-8) |
| T5. | Jeremy Anderson, UNLV | 69-68=137 (-7) |
| T5. | Matt Kuchar, Georgia Tech | 67-70=137 (-7) |
| T7. | Landry Mahan, Oklahoma State | 70-68=138 (-6) |
| T7. | Ricky Barnes, Arizona | 70-68=138 (-6) |
| T9. | James Driscoll, Virginia | 68-71=139 (-5) |
| T9. | Jess Daley, Northwestern | 69-70=139 (-5) |
ARIZONA STATE SCORES
| T28. | Jeff Quinney | 72-72=144 (E) |
| T86. | Jin Park | 75-73=148 (+4) |
| T86. | Paul Casey | 76-72=148 (+4) |
| T101. | Jonas Runnquist | 76-73=149 (+5) |
| T136. | Matt Jones | 79-74=153 (+9) |