SALT LAKE CITY – The No. 10 Arizona State men’s golf collected a cumulative third-round 9-over 364, to remain in a tie for fourth, Saturday afternoon at the 2016 Pac-12 Championship. Heading into the final round of the event hosted at the par-71, 7209-yard Salt Late Country Club, the Sun Devils trail the tournament leading Stanford Cardinal by 39 strokes.
Pacing the Sun Devils, senior Jon Rahm remains in contention after carding a 3-under 68, to improve to 9-under for the tournament. The World Amateur No. 1 opened the morning with consecutive birdies on holes two through four, before playing par golf for the remainder of his round. Tied for second with UCLA’s Jonathan Garrick and Stanford’s David Boote, Rahm trails the clubhouse leader, K.K. Limbhaust of California, by six. The second-winningest player in program history with nine career victories to his credit, including two on the season, Rahm aims to capture the first Pac-12 Title of his four-year Sun Devil career.
Arizona State junior Jared du Toit sits just outside of the top-10 entering Sunday, tied for 12th at 2-under. After a promising to start to his round highlighted by three birdies in five holes, du Toit faltered playing at 4-over for the remainder of the afternoon, to finish at 1-over 72. The 2015 Big Sky conference champion, Du Toit, looks to finish strong aiming for his fifth top-10 finish of the season for the Maroon and Gold.
Senior Max Rottluff is positioned in the No. 28 spot, after recorded a 2-over 73. The 2015 All-American, competing in his final conference championship, entered the tournament with consecutive top-10 finishes at the Arizona State hosted Thunderbird Invitational and more recently the Western Intercollegiate.
Sun Devils Alberto Sanchez and Nicolo Galletti each sit tied for 45th at 11-over, posting rounds of 77 and 74 respectively. Rounding out the Arizona State six, Tobias Eden is positioned in 59th at 15-over.
The Pac-12 Championship is slated to conclude Sunday afternoon. Arizona State accompanied by Washington and UCLA is set to tee off beginning at 7:00 a.m. PT. Live scoring will once again be available via Golfstat.com.
PAC-10/12 SUCCESS AT ASU: Arizona State has won 12 Pac-10 titles in its 37 seasons, including a conference record six straight from 1995-2000. In addition to the six straight Pac-10 titles, ASU’s other six Pac-10 titles were in 1979 (its first year in the league), 1981, 1989, 1990, 1993 and 2008. ASU tied for the league title in 2005 with Washington but lost on a tiebreaker formula, and the league decided to go to a playoff format after that season.
SUN DEVILS AS PAC-10/12 MEDALISTS: Paul Casey won three straight Pac-10 titles from 1998-2000, which is the last time a Sun Devil won the title and is a conference record for consecutive Pac-10/12 titles. Other Sun Devils who have won the Pac-10 championship are Scott Johnson (1997), Phil Mickelson (1990), co-medalists Dan Forsman and Tony Grimes (1981), Jim Bertoncino (co-medalist in 1980) and co-medalists Scott Watkins and Dan Croonquist (1979). Stanford's Maverick McNealy will attempt to become the first golfer to win back-to-back conference titles since Arizona State’s Paul Casey won three straight from 1998-2000.
BEST NCAA SEASON STROKE AVERAGE
Bill Haas, Wake Forest, 2003-04, 68.93
Maverick McNealy, Stanford, 2015-16, 69.04*
Maverick McNealy, Stanford, 2014-15, 69.05
Jon Rahm, Arizona State, 2014-15, 69.15
Ryan Moore, UNLV, 2004-25, 69.29
Ryan Moore, UNLV, 2003-04, 69.38
Patrick Rodgers, Stanford, 2013-14, 69.41
Jon Rahm, Arizona State, 2015-16, 69.43*
Bryce Molder, Georgia Tech, 2000-01, 69.43
* - Entering the Pac-12 Championship
VARIETY IS GOOD: Six teams have taken the team title in the past 11 years: Washington (2005, 2009, 2010), UCLA (2006), USC (2007, 2011), ASU (2008), California (2012, 2013) and Stanford (2014, 2015) all have won the trophy since 2005.
ASU’S 2008 PAC-10 TITLE: At the 2008 Pac-10 Championships at The Meadow Club (par-71, 6,686 yards) in Fairfax, Calif., ASU, playing with three freshmen, two sophomores and a senior, captured its eighth Pac-10 title in 16 years under head coach Randy Lein in a one-hole playoff over defending conference champion USC (#2 Golfstat/#3 Golfweek). ASU trailed by 16 to the Trojans after the first round. ASU shot 354-361-356-364 and tied with the Trojans (338-374-357-366) at 15-over par 1,435.
MOST PAC-10/12 TEAM TITLES SINCE 1979 (ASU joined the Pac-10 in the 1978-79 athletic season):
ARIZONA STATE (12): 2008, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1993, 1990, 1989, 1981, 1979
USC (7): 2011, 2007, 2002, 2001, 1986, 1984, 1980
UCLA (5): 2006, 2003, 1985, 1983, 1982
WASHINGTON (4): 2010, 2009, 2005, 1988
ARIZONA (3): 2004, 1991, 1987
STANFORD (4): 2015, 2014, 1994, 1992
CALIFORNIA (2): 2012, 2013
RAHM TROPHY CASE: Senior Jon Rahm has nine career wins, second-most in Sun Devil history. He has two this year, including winning the ASU Thunderbird Invitational for the third straight year, a tournament record.
MOST @ASUMENSGOLF TOURNAMENT WINS
Phil Mickelson (1988-92), 16
Jon Rahm (2012-Present), 9
Billy Mayfair (1984-88), 8
Alejandro Canizares (2002-06), 6
Charlie Gibson (1972-75), 6
Paul Casey (1997-2000), 6
JON RAHM'S NINE COLLEGIATE TOURNAMENT WINS
2016 ASU Thunderbird Invitational (Apr. 2-3)
2015 Tavistock Invitational (Oct. 18-20)
2015 NCAA San Diego Regional (May 14-16)
2015 ASU Thunderbird Invitational (Apr. 3-4)
2015 Duck Invitational (Mar. 23-24)
2014 Bill Cullum Invitational (Oct. 20-21)
2014 ASU Thunderbird Invitational (Mar. 21-23)
2013 San Diego Classic (Mar. 11-12)
2012 Bill Cullum Invitational (Oct. 21-22)