The @SunDevilMGolf team opens its 2017-18 season at the Gopher Invitational held at Windsong Farm Golf Club (par-71/7,368 yards) in Independence, Minn., as a shotgun start starts 36 holes on Sunday at 9 a.m. CT. Eight teams that competed in the 2017 NCAA Championships are part of the 16-team field, including defending NCAA champion Oklahoma. ASU will tee with Iowa, Arkansas and Kent State.
GOPHER INDIVIDUAL: A separate individual tournament will be played at the Pioneer Creek Golf Course (par-72/6,953 yards) in Maple Plain, Minn. Anthony Truong, Koichiro Ishika, Jino Sohn and Ryan Douglass will tee it up beginning at 8:10 a.m.
RANKINGS: ASU is ranked No. 21 in the preseason Bushnell Golfweek Coaches Poll and is one of four Pac-12 teams ranked in the top-25, along with USC (8th), Oregon (9th) and Stanford (14th). It is ranked 16th in the Golfweek preseason poll.
ABOUT CHUN'S FIRST YEAR: Chun Yu had a 71.61 stroke average last year, the second-best by a freshman in Sun Devil history, behind only Jon Rahm's 71.37 in 2012-13. Alex del Rey ended with a 72.14 stroke average, fifth-best by a freshman in Sun Devil history.
FRESHMEN WITH #NCAAGOLF 2017 TOP-20 FINISHES
2. Mason Overstreet, Arkansas 70-68-72-71=281/-7
T8. John Augenstein, Vanderbilt 74-70-69-72=285/-3
T8. Viktor Hovland, Oklahoma State 68-74-68-75=285/-3
T19. Chun An Yu, Arizona State 69-73-73-73=288/E
T19. Justin Suh, USC 67-70-72-79=288/E
SUN DEVIL FRESHMAN SCORING AVERAGES (1985-2017)
1. Jon Rahm, 15, 2012-13, 71.37
2. Chun An Yu, 9, 2016-17, 71.61
3. Alejandro Canizares, 8, 2002-03, 71.65
4. Todd Demsey, 15, 1991-92, 72.10
5. Alex del Rey, 12 2016-17, 72.14
6. Phil Mickelson, 14, 1988-89, 72.14
7. Jesper Kennegard, 12, 2007-08, 72.16
8. Chan Kim, 8, 2008-09, 72.20
9. Paul Casey, 12, 1997-98, 72.30
10. Benjamin Alvarado Holley, 10, 2005-06, 72.50
TEAMS: Arizona State, Arkansas, Baylor, Charlotte, Iowa, Kent State, Michigan State, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Penn State, Pepperdine, Purdue, San Diego State, St. John's (Minnesota), Virginia Tech.Our lineup is made for the @GopherInvite on Sept 10-11.
— Matt Thurmond (@MattThurmond) September 5, 2017
1. Chun An Yu
2. Alex Del Rey
3. Mason Andersen
4. Blake Wagoner
5. Paul Chaplet
Two freshmen qualified into starting 5 for first college event. Both have played in majors.
— Matt Thurmond (@MattThurmond) September 5, 2017
Chaplet--Masters '16
Andersen--US Open '17
GOPHER INDIVIDUAL: A separate individual tournament will be played at the Pioneer Creek Golf Course (par-72/6,953 yards) in Maple Plain, Minn. Anthony Truong, Koichiro Ishika, Jino Sohn and Ryan Douglass will tee it up beginning at 8:10 a.m.
RANKINGS: ASU is ranked No. 21 in the preseason Bushnell Golfweek Coaches Poll and is one of four Pac-12 teams ranked in the top-25, along with USC (8th), Oregon (9th) and Stanford (14th). It is ranked 16th in the Golfweek preseason poll.
ABOUT CHUN'S FIRST YEAR: Chun Yu had a 71.61 stroke average last year, the second-best by a freshman in Sun Devil history, behind only Jon Rahm's 71.37 in 2012-13. Alex del Rey ended with a 72.14 stroke average, fifth-best by a freshman in Sun Devil history.
FRESHMEN WITH #NCAAGOLF 2017 TOP-20 FINISHES
2. Mason Overstreet, Arkansas 70-68-72-71=281/-7
T8. John Augenstein, Vanderbilt 74-70-69-72=285/-3
T8. Viktor Hovland, Oklahoma State 68-74-68-75=285/-3
T19. Chun An Yu, Arizona State 69-73-73-73=288/E
T19. Justin Suh, USC 67-70-72-79=288/E
SUN DEVIL FRESHMAN SCORING AVERAGES (1985-2017)
1. Jon Rahm, 15, 2012-13, 71.37
2. Chun An Yu, 9, 2016-17, 71.61
3. Alejandro Canizares, 8, 2002-03, 71.65
4. Todd Demsey, 15, 1991-92, 72.10
5. Alex del Rey, 12 2016-17, 72.14
6. Phil Mickelson, 14, 1988-89, 72.14
7. Jesper Kennegard, 12, 2007-08, 72.16
8. Chan Kim, 8, 2008-09, 72.20
9. Paul Casey, 12, 1997-98, 72.30
10. Benjamin Alvarado Holley, 10, 2005-06, 72.50