PING First-Team All-America honorees were announced Tuesday by the Golf Coaches Association of America and two-time Ben Hogan Award winner Jon Rahm became the first Sun Devil to earn first-team All-America honors twice in a career since Alejandro Canizares did the same in 2003 and 2006.
Besides Canizares, only Sun Devils Todd Demsey (1993-1994), Phil Mickelson (four times from 1989-93), Billy Mayfair (1987-88), Jim Carter (1983-84) and Howard Twitty (1970 and 1972) can match Rahm's two first-team accolades in their Sun Devil careers.
It also pushes the Sun Devil all-time first-team All-America honors to 25, behind only Oklahoma State (57), Houston (30) and Florida (28), since the GCAA began recognizing All-Americans in 1958.
Also an honorable mention All-America pick in 2013 and 2014, the senior became the second player in Arizona State history, and the first since Chris Hanell in 1997, to record a top-10 finish in every outing in a season as he notched the feat in all 13 tournaments. His nation's best 69.41 stroke average is the seventh-best in NCAA history after firing a 69.15 last year, third-best. He posted nine top-five finishes and in 41 rounds shot par or better 35 times, including 22 rounds in the 60s, this season.
Not only did he lead the nation in scoring average (69.41), according to Golfstat he also was the nation's leader in score versus par (-1.78), par-4 scoring (3.93) and birdies (171) and was second to NCAA champion Aaron Wise of Oregon (4.45) in par-5 scoring (4.51).
√ @littleJRmaza 53 tourn./165 rounds
? ASUmensgolf (@asumensgolf) June 1, 2016
70.21 avg
77 rounds in 60s/117 par or better
156 counters
671 birdies/39 eagles pic.twitter.com/IAs87UxLgT
He ended his 53-tournament career with a 70.21 stroke average in 165 rounds. He posted 77 rounds in the 60s and 117 of his rounds were par or better. His score counted in 156 of this 165 rounds (.945). He posted 671 birdies and 39 eagles in his collegiate career.
Rahm also is one of five finalists for the 2016 Division I Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year Award presented by Barbasol. Charlie Danielson (Illinois), Beau Hossler (Texas), Lee McCoy (Georgia) and Maverick McNealy (Stanford) are the other finalists. McCoy, McNealy and Rahm were also finalists last season with McNealy the reigning Nicklaus Award recipient. The winner will be announced June 2 at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, and presented by award namesake Jack Nicklaus at a ceremony during the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide.
SUN DEVIL FIRST-TEAM ALL-AMERICANS
2016: Jon Rahm
2015: Jon Rahm, Max Rottluff
2007: Niklas Lemke
2006: Alejandro Canizares
2003: Alejandro Canizares
2001: Matt Jones
2000: Paul Casey
1997: Chris Hanell, Scott Johnson
1994: Todd Demsey
1993: Todd Demsey
1992: Phil Mickelson
1991: Phil Mickelson
1990: Phil Mickelson
1989: Phil Mickelson
1988: Billy Mayfair
1987: Billy Mayfair
1984: Jim Carter
1983: Jim Carter
1979: Scott Watkins
1977: Lee Mikles
1972: Howard Twitty
1970: Howard Twitty
1968: Mike Morley
1966: George Boutell
BEST NCAA SEASON STROKE AVERAGE
Bill Haas, Wake Forest, 2003-04, 68.93
Maverick McNealy, Stanford, 2014-15, 69.05
Jon Rahm, Arizona State, 2014-15, 69.15
Ryan Moore, UNLV, 2004-05, 69.29
Ryan Moore, UNLV, 2003-2004, 69.38
Jon Rahm, Arizona State, 2015-16, 69.41
Patrick Rodgers, Stanford, 2013-2014, 69.41
SUN DEVILS NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP TOP THREE FINISHES (1983-PRESENT)
Alejandro Canizares (Fr.) 1st/2003 (Stillwater, Okla.)
Todd Demsey (So.), 1st/1993 (Lexington, Ky.)
Phil Mickelson (Sr.), 1st/1992 (Albuquerque, N.M.)
Phil Mickelson (So.), 1st/1990 (Tarpon Springs, Fla.)
Phil Mickelson (Fr.), 1st/1989 (Edmond, Okla.)
Jim Carter (Jr.), 1st/1983 (Fresno, Calif.)
Jon Rahm (Fr.), T2nd/2013 (Atlanta, Ga.)
Jon Rahm (Sr.), T3rd/2016 (Eugene, Ore.)
Darren Angel (Fr.), T3rd/1996 (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
JON RAHM’S 11 COLLEGIATE WINS
2016 NCAA Albuquerque Regional (May 16-18)
2016 Pac-12 Championship (April 29-May 1)
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)
First-Team All-Americans also included Charlie Danielson of Illinois, Florida’s Sam Horsfield, Beau Hossler of Texas, Georgia’s Lee McCoy, Maverick McNealy of Stanford, South Carolina’s Matthew NeSmith, Vanderbilt’s Matthias Schwab, Alabama’s Robby Shelton and Oregon’s Aaron Wise.