In just his third college tournament, Sun Devil freshman Chun An Yu took home the individual medal at the National Invitational Tournament in Tucson after shooting an 8-under 64 in the final round on Tuesday. It marked the third individual medalist this year for head coach Matt Thurmond's squad. Ranked No. 16 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, An Yu shot a tournament-best 8-under on the par 4 holes and 10-under on the par-5 holes. He posted 32 pars, 18 birdies and one eagle in the 54 holes.
With the win, An Yu became became just the third Sun Devil freshman to win a tournament since Alejandro Canizares won the 2003 NCAA title. Jon Rahm won two tournaments in 2012-13, while Jesper Kennegard won the Hawai Hilo Intercollegiate as a freshman in 2008.
Prior to Canizares winning the NCAA title and the National Invitational in 2003, freshman Paul Casey won the 1998 USC Southwestern Invitational, the Pac-10 title and the NCAA West Regional.
ARIZONA INTERCOLLEGIATE/NIT MEDALISTS (1990-PRESENT)
Chun An Yu, 2017 National Invitational Tournament (Feb. 27-28)
Max Rottluff, 2015 Arizona Intercollegiate (Jan. 26-27)
Alejandro Canizares (lost playoff), 2006 Arizona/Ping Intercollegiate
Alejandro Canizares, 2005 Arizona/PING Intercollegiate
Alejandro Canizares, 2003 National Invitational
Chris Stutts (lost playoff), 1993 Ping/Arizona Intercollegiate
Per Johansson, 1990 Ping Arizona Intercollegiate SUN DEVIL MEDALISTS UNDER MATT THURMOND (4)
Chun An Yu (Fr.) 2017 National Invitational Tournament (Feb. 27-28, 2017)
Jared du Toit (Sr.) 2017 The Prestige At PGA West (Feb. 20-22, 2017)
Jared du Toit (Sr./co-medalist) 2017 Amer Ari Invitational (Feb. 2-4, 2017)
Ki Taek Lee (Sr./co-medalist) 2016 Alister MacKenzie Invitational (Oct. 10-11, 2016)
As a team, Arizona State finished tied second with UNLV behind winner Iowa State including a tournament best 270 in round two. ASU fired 67 birdies, tied for the most in the tournament with Iowa State.
Freshman Alejandro Del Rey Gonzalez posted a 6-under 210 and tied for eighth, which included a 6-under 66 in the second round. A stroke behind Del Rey Gonzalez was senior captain Jared du Toit, who finished tied for 11th.
Freshman Blake Wagoner (T-41st) and senior Nicolo Galletti (No. 51) completed the lineup, while Ki Taek Lee tied for 25th while competing as an individual.
SUN DEVIL SCORES
1. Chun An Yu 68-67-64=199/-17
T8. Alejandro Del Rey Gonzalez 69-66-75=210/-6
T11. Jared du Toit 70-67-74=211/-5
T25. Ki Taek Lee (Ind.) 71-71-73=215/-1
T41. Blake Wagoner 73-70-76=219/+3
T51. Nicolo Galletti 75-73-74=222/+6
TEAM SCORES
1. Iowa State 274-275-283=832/-32
T2. Arizona State 280-270-287=837/-27
T2. UNLV 278-277-282=837/-27
4. UTEP 283-286-279=848/-16
5. Arizona 289-281-288=858/-6
Next up for @ASUMensGolf is the Southern Highland Collegiate in Las Vegas next week. The event begins Monday (March 6) and is a three-day event finishing on Wednesday (March 8).
BACK-TO-BACK NOTE: The wins by An Yu and Jared du Toit in ASU's previous tournament marked the first back-to-back tournament wins by Sun Devil teammates since Jon Rahm won the 2014 Bill Cullum Invitational (Oct. 20-21) after Max Rottluff won the Alister MacKenzie Invittional (Oct. 13-14).
With the win, An Yu became became just the third Sun Devil freshman to win a tournament since Alejandro Canizares won the 2003 NCAA title. Jon Rahm won two tournaments in 2012-13, while Jesper Kennegard won the Hawai Hilo Intercollegiate as a freshman in 2008.
Prior to Canizares winning the NCAA title and the National Invitational in 2003, freshman Paul Casey won the 1998 USC Southwestern Invitational, the Pac-10 title and the NCAA West Regional.
SUN DEVIL FRESHMEN MEDALISTS (1995-PRESENT)
Chun An Yu, 2017 National Invitational (Feb. 27-28)
Jon Rahm, 2013 San Diego Classic (Mar. 11-12)
Jon Rahm, 2012 Bill Cullum Invitational (Oct. 21-22)
Jesper Kennegard, 2008 Hawaii Hilo Intercollegiate
Alejandro Canizares, 2003 NCAA Championship
Alejandro Canizares, 2003 National Invitational Tournament
Paul Casey, 1998 NCAA West Regional
Paul Casey, 1998 Pacific-10 Conference Championship
Paul Casey, 1998 USC/Cleveland Southwest Invitational
Darren Angel, 1995 Ping Preview
Freshman Winner @kevingolfyu ! Following in tradition of @littleJRmaza @JTKennegard @Acanizares10 @Paul_Casey https://t.co/jCWAJAUEUN @asu pic.twitter.com/MWtNSPv8xi
— ASUmensgolf (@asumensgolf) February 28, 2017
ARIZONA INTERCOLLEGIATE/NIT MEDALISTS (1990-PRESENT)
Chun An Yu, 2017 National Invitational Tournament (Feb. 27-28)
Max Rottluff, 2015 Arizona Intercollegiate (Jan. 26-27)
Alejandro Canizares (lost playoff), 2006 Arizona/Ping Intercollegiate
Alejandro Canizares, 2005 Arizona/PING Intercollegiate
Alejandro Canizares, 2003 National Invitational
Chris Stutts (lost playoff), 1993 Ping/Arizona Intercollegiate
Per Johansson, 1990 Ping Arizona Intercollegiate SUN DEVIL MEDALISTS UNDER MATT THURMOND (4)
Chun An Yu (Fr.) 2017 National Invitational Tournament (Feb. 27-28, 2017)
Jared du Toit (Sr.) 2017 The Prestige At PGA West (Feb. 20-22, 2017)
Jared du Toit (Sr./co-medalist) 2017 Amer Ari Invitational (Feb. 2-4, 2017)
Ki Taek Lee (Sr./co-medalist) 2016 Alister MacKenzie Invitational (Oct. 10-11, 2016)
As a team, Arizona State finished tied second with UNLV behind winner Iowa State including a tournament best 270 in round two. ASU fired 67 birdies, tied for the most in the tournament with Iowa State.
Freshman Alejandro Del Rey Gonzalez posted a 6-under 210 and tied for eighth, which included a 6-under 66 in the second round. A stroke behind Del Rey Gonzalez was senior captain Jared du Toit, who finished tied for 11th.
Freshman Blake Wagoner (T-41st) and senior Nicolo Galletti (No. 51) completed the lineup, while Ki Taek Lee tied for 25th while competing as an individual.
SUN DEVIL SCORES
1. Chun An Yu 68-67-64=199/-17
T8. Alejandro Del Rey Gonzalez 69-66-75=210/-6
T11. Jared du Toit 70-67-74=211/-5
T25. Ki Taek Lee (Ind.) 71-71-73=215/-1
T41. Blake Wagoner 73-70-76=219/+3
T51. Nicolo Galletti 75-73-74=222/+6
TEAM SCORES
1. Iowa State 274-275-283=832/-32
T2. Arizona State 280-270-287=837/-27
T2. UNLV 278-277-282=837/-27
4. UTEP 283-286-279=848/-16
5. Arizona 289-281-288=858/-6
Next up for @ASUMensGolf is the Southern Highland Collegiate in Las Vegas next week. The event begins Monday (March 6) and is a three-day event finishing on Wednesday (March 8).
BACK-TO-BACK NOTE: The wins by An Yu and Jared du Toit in ASU's previous tournament marked the first back-to-back tournament wins by Sun Devil teammates since Jon Rahm won the 2014 Bill Cullum Invitational (Oct. 20-21) after Max Rottluff won the Alister MacKenzie Invittional (Oct. 13-14).