The @SunDevilMGolf team shot a solid 1-over par 289 in the second round Saturday of the #NCAAGolf Championships at Karsten Creek Golf Course (par-72/7,460 yards) in Stillwater, Okla., putting it in a tie for 13th as sophomore Chun An Yu sits just one shot off the individual lead.
The top 15 teams and nine individuals not on an advancing team will advance to a final day of 18 holes of stroke play on Monday, May 28 to determine the top eight teams that will advance to match play as well as the 72-hole individual champion. The team national champion will be determined by a match-play format that will consist of quarterfinals and semifinals conducted on Tuesday, May 29, followed by finals on Wednesday, May 30.
Only three teams are under par and ASU is one of 12 teams within seven strokes, as Duke and Oklahoma are tied for third at 2-over 578 and ASU is tied with North Carolina and Arkansas tied for 13that 9-over 585 (296-289).
It could be wild day for a race to the top-15. Auburn improved by 20 strokes (300-280) while Northwestern had a 28-stroke swing (280 to 308).
Halfway through the event, the sophomore An Yu is looking to join the likes of Jim Carter (1983), Phil Mickelson (1989, 1990, 1992), Todd Demsey (1993) and Alejandro Canizares as an NCAA champion. He's played the par-5 holes in 6-under and posted 23 pars and nine birdies. Saturday he posted pars on his first eight holes, birdied No. 9 and then made par on the next three. His only bogey came at No. 13, but he birdied the next hole and No. 18 to close the round.
Sophomore Alex del Rey has 10 birdies and one eagle through 36 holes.
A good sign for ASU also is that both freshman Mason Andersen and sophomore Blake Wagoner each improved their scores in the second round. Anderson shot 74 after posting a 77 Friday, while Wagoner birdied his final home to post 73 after posting 78 in the first round.
Freshman Koichiro Ishika has battled back from two tough starts and could be ready to make a big impact on Sunday. He posted a 9 on the opening hole Friday and was 6-over through six holes, but battled to shoot 2-over the rest of the way. On Saturday he was 3-over through seven, but posted two birdies in final 11 holes.
BEST STROKE IMPROVEMENTS FROM ROUND ONE TO ROUND TWO
Auburn, 20 (300-280)
Alabama, 15 (294-279)
Florida, 14 (300-286)
Arizona State, 7 (296-289)
Arkansas, 7 (296-289)
ASU is scheduled to tee Sunday beginning at 8:50 a.m. CT with North Carolina and Arkansas.
GOLF CHANNEL PLANS: Golf Channel will have live coverage on Monday, May 28 from 3-7 p.m. CT featuring the final round of stroke play and the awarding of the individual medalist honors. Coverage continues on Tuesday, May 29, from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. CT with the quarterfinals of match play and returns for the match play semifinals from 3-7 p.m. CT. Coverage culminates with the championship match on Wednesday, May 30 from 3-7 p.m. CT.
TOP 25 TEAMS ALREADY AT HOME: Making the NCAA Championship is not easy as seven of Golfstat's top-25 teams missed the cut after NCAA Regional action this year, including No. 4 Georgia Tech, No. 6 LSU, No. 9 California, No. 19 USC, No. 20 South Florida, No. 22 Florida State and No. 25 Wake Forest.
#NCAA 2018 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
KARSTEN CREEK GOLF CLUB (PAR-72/7,460 YARDS)
STILLWATER, OKLA.
MAY 25-30
TEAM LEADERSAND ASU
1. Texas Tech 284-287=571/-5
2. Oklahoma State 287-285=572/-4
3. Alabama, 294-279=573/-3
T4. Duke 291-287=578/+2
T4. Oklahoma 285-293=578/+2
T13. Arizona State 296-289=585/+9
INDIVIDUAL LEADER/SUN DEVIL SCORES
1. Brandon Macheno, Auburn 72-66=138/-6
T2. Chun An Yu 69-70=139/-3
T28. Alex del Rey 72-72=144/E
T100. Mason Andersen 77-74=151/+7
T100. Blake Wagoner 78-73=151/+7
T132. Koichiro Ishika 80-74=154/+10
The top 15 teams and nine individuals not on an advancing team will advance to a final day of 18 holes of stroke play on Monday, May 28 to determine the top eight teams that will advance to match play as well as the 72-hole individual champion. The team national champion will be determined by a match-play format that will consist of quarterfinals and semifinals conducted on Tuesday, May 29, followed by finals on Wednesday, May 30.
Only three teams are under par and ASU is one of 12 teams within seven strokes, as Duke and Oklahoma are tied for third at 2-over 578 and ASU is tied with North Carolina and Arkansas tied for 13that 9-over 585 (296-289).
It could be wild day for a race to the top-15. Auburn improved by 20 strokes (300-280) while Northwestern had a 28-stroke swing (280 to 308).
Halfway through the event, the sophomore An Yu is looking to join the likes of Jim Carter (1983), Phil Mickelson (1989, 1990, 1992), Todd Demsey (1993) and Alejandro Canizares as an NCAA champion. He's played the par-5 holes in 6-under and posted 23 pars and nine birdies. Saturday he posted pars on his first eight holes, birdied No. 9 and then made par on the next three. His only bogey came at No. 13, but he birdied the next hole and No. 18 to close the round.
Sophomore Alex del Rey has 10 birdies and one eagle through 36 holes.
A good sign for ASU also is that both freshman Mason Andersen and sophomore Blake Wagoner each improved their scores in the second round. Anderson shot 74 after posting a 77 Friday, while Wagoner birdied his final home to post 73 after posting 78 in the first round.
Freshman Koichiro Ishika has battled back from two tough starts and could be ready to make a big impact on Sunday. He posted a 9 on the opening hole Friday and was 6-over through six holes, but battled to shoot 2-over the rest of the way. On Saturday he was 3-over through seven, but posted two birdies in final 11 holes.
BEST STROKE IMPROVEMENTS FROM ROUND ONE TO ROUND TWO
Auburn, 20 (300-280)
Alabama, 15 (294-279)
Florida, 14 (300-286)
Arizona State, 7 (296-289)
Arkansas, 7 (296-289)
ASU is scheduled to tee Sunday beginning at 8:50 a.m. CT with North Carolina and Arkansas.
GOLF CHANNEL PLANS: Golf Channel will have live coverage on Monday, May 28 from 3-7 p.m. CT featuring the final round of stroke play and the awarding of the individual medalist honors. Coverage continues on Tuesday, May 29, from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. CT with the quarterfinals of match play and returns for the match play semifinals from 3-7 p.m. CT. Coverage culminates with the championship match on Wednesday, May 30 from 3-7 p.m. CT.
TOP 25 TEAMS ALREADY AT HOME: Making the NCAA Championship is not easy as seven of Golfstat's top-25 teams missed the cut after NCAA Regional action this year, including No. 4 Georgia Tech, No. 6 LSU, No. 9 California, No. 19 USC, No. 20 South Florida, No. 22 Florida State and No. 25 Wake Forest.
#NCAA 2018 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
KARSTEN CREEK GOLF CLUB (PAR-72/7,460 YARDS)
STILLWATER, OKLA.
MAY 25-30
TEAM LEADERSAND ASU
1. Texas Tech 284-287=571/-5
2. Oklahoma State 287-285=572/-4
3. Alabama, 294-279=573/-3
T4. Duke 291-287=578/+2
T4. Oklahoma 285-293=578/+2
T13. Arizona State 296-289=585/+9
INDIVIDUAL LEADER/SUN DEVIL SCORES
1. Brandon Macheno, Auburn 72-66=138/-6
T2. Chun An Yu 69-70=139/-3
T28. Alex del Rey 72-72=144/E
T100. Mason Andersen 77-74=151/+7
T100. Blake Wagoner 78-73=151/+7
T132. Koichiro Ishika 80-74=154/+10