The what, when and where for us this year: https://t.co/mZLK25jksR pic.twitter.com/Aa539A6K4v
— Sun Devil Men's Golf (@sundevilmgolf) August 23, 2018
The @SunDevilMGolf team will open its 2018-19 season trying to defend a title in Arizona and hopes to finish it by winning its third NCAA title in Arkansas, as the schedule is set with a 14-tournament slate. ASU will play in Arizona, Wisconsin, California, Florida, Hawaii, Mexico, Texas, Oregon and Arkansas. Four fall events get the season started, while ASU will also host its Thunderbird Invitational for the first time at Papago Golf Course in April.
"I look at this schedule and get so excited to get started and to compete this year," says Matt Thurmond, who will enter his third year in charge of the Sun Devil program. "We are competing on all kinds of courses, against the strongest teams, across the U.S. and even in Mexico. We are obsessed with providing the ultimate learning and competitive environment for our student-athletes and this tournament schedule will stretch them and challenge them in so many ways. Plus, it's going to be so much fun to go to all these places."
Here's a look at the schedule, with dates, courses, locations and host school listed for each.
Last year ASU shot an 11-under 277 in the final round of the Maui Jim Intercollegiate in Carefree, AZ, to win the team title over three rounds Sept. 22-24, while Alex del Rey had the best round of his collegiate career with a 7-under 65 to earn medalist honors at Desert Forest.
The Maui Jim Champions pic.twitter.com/gpeYZ2QM9g
— Matt Thurmond (@MattThurmond) September 24, 2017
SUN DEVIL MEDALISTS UNDER MATT THURMOND (6)
Chun An Yu (So.) Bandon Dunes Invitational Mar. 11-13, 2018
Alex del Rey (So.) Maui Jim Intercollegiate Sept. 22-24, 2017
Chun An Yu (Fr.) National Invitational Tournament Feb. 27-28, 2017
Jared du Toit (Sr.) Prestige at PGA West Feb. 20-22, 2017
Jared du Toit (Sr./co-medalist) Amer Ari Invitational Feb. 2-4, 2017
Ki Taek Lee (Sr./co-medalist) Alister MacKenzie Invitational Oct. 10-11, 2016
The Marquette Intercollegiate at Erin Hills, site of the 117th US Open, is where ASU will head for its second tournament. Marquette has hosted a fall event in each of the last five seasons and at Erin Hills in four of the last five. Stanford (2013), UCLA (2014), SMU (2015), Northwestern (2016) and Texas A&M (2017) are past winners of the Marquette Intercollegiate. The event has featured current pros Patrick Rodgers (Stanford/PGA Tour), Bryson DeChambeau (SMU/PGA Tour), Matt Fitzpatrick (Northwestern/PGA Tour/European Tour), Jonathan Garrick (UCLA/Mackenzie Tour) and Jordan Niebrugge (Oklahoma State/Mackenzie Tour). Iowa, Marquette, McNeese State, Michigan State, Minnesota, Mississippi, Northwestern, UC Davis, Utah and Wisconsin make up the field.
Oh, man, @sundevilmgolf, enjoy playing this gem!!! @ErinHillsGolf #ForksUp https://t.co/IRoyE263Gq
— Jessob Reisbeck (@jessob_reisbeck) July 26, 2018
OCTOBER 8-9: THE ALISTER MACKENZIE INVITATIONAL (MEADOW CLUB IN FAIRFAX, CA/CALIFORNIA)
Cal has won the Alister MacKenzie Invitational outright 10 times including in 2017, while Arizona State won the 2016 title as Sun Devil Ki Taek Lee and Oregon State's Connor Kumpula shared individual medalist honors in 2016. The event has been held every year since 2002 with the exception of 2008 when Cal hosted the Pac-12 Championships. Meadow Club has been the host course each time other than 2013 when the tournament was played at the Sonoma Golf Club. In 2016, Arizona State came back on the final day with an 11-under 273 as the victory marked the first of head coach Matt Thurmond's ASU tenure, a solid feat considering the event was just his second at the helm. The team win ended California's dominance as it had won its own tournament the previous seven years. ASU shot 30-under on the par-5 holes and had five eagles to lead the tournament in both categories.
Sun Devils win. Ki Taek Lee wins. @asumensgolf @ktl2013 pic.twitter.com/VNUaAn6NXU
— Matt Thurmond (@MattThurmond) October 11, 2016
OCTOBER 21-23: TAVISTOCK COLLEGIATE (ISLEWORTH COUNTRY CLUB IN WINDERMERE, FLA/UCF)
Freshman and Chandler, Ariz., product Mason Andersen finished strong at the 2017 Tavistock Collegiate Invitational at the Isleworth Country Club in Windermere, Fla. Andersen shot a 5-under 211 (69-71-71) and finished fifth, just six shots back of winner Dylan Meyer of Illinois who shot an 11-under 205 (67-66-72).
JAN. 28-29: ARIZONA INTERCOLLEGIATE (SEWAILO GOLF CLUB IN TUCSON, AZ/ARIZONA)
The Sun Devils will take two trips to Tucson in 2018-19, with this trip kicking off the spring season.
FEB. 21-23: JOHN BURNS COLLEGIATE (WAILUA GOLF COURSE IN WAILUA, HAWAII/HAWAII)
The University of Hawai'i hosts the 43rd annual John A. Burns Intercollegiate which will be held at the Wailua Golf Course in Lihu'e, Kaua'i for the sixth consecutive year. The tournament is named after the former Governor of the state of Hawai'i. Wailua is a municipal course, which played host to three USGA National Public Links Championships and has a Top 10 rating by Golf Digest as one of the best courses in the state of Hawai'i. It first played host to the John Burns Intercollegiate in 1978, the second year of the tournament.
MARCH 3-5: CABO COLLEGIATE AT QUERENCIA (QUERENCIA GOLF CLUB IN SAN JOSE DEL CABO, MEXICO/ARKANSAS AND HOUSTON)
Freshman Mason Andersen tied for seventh at the 2018 Querencia Cabo Collegiate, shooting a 2-under 211 (72-69-70), as @SunDevilMGolf finished fourth at 7-over 859 (285-279-295) in the 15-team field which included nine top-20 teams. The 2019 field includes Arkansas, Houston, Florida State, Vanderbilt, Texas, Oklahoma State, South Florida, Stanford, Baylor, Wale Forest, California, Ole Miss, Duke and Rice.
— Querencia Collegiate (@CaboCollegiate) July 24, 2018
MARCH 11-12: LAMKIN GRIPS COLLEGIATE (SAN DIEGO COUNTRY CLUB IN CHULA VISTA, CA/SAN DIEGO
ASU last played in the tournament in 2016 when Jon Rahm was swinging the clubs in Sparky gear.
MARCH 18-19: NATIONAL INVITATIONAL (TUCSON NATIONAL IN TUCSON, AZ/ARIZONA)
In 2017 Chun An Yu took home the individual medal after shooting an 8-under 64 in the final round. It marked the third individual medalist that season for head coach Matt Thurmond's squad. Chun 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.
APRIL 6-7: AGGIE INVITATIONAL (TRADITIONS GOLF CLUB IN COLLEGE STATION, TX/TEXAS A&M)Freshman Winner @kevingolfyu ! Following in tradition of @littleJRmaza @JTKennegard @Acanizares10 @Paul_Casey https://t.co/jCWAJAUEUN @asu pic.twitter.com/MWtNSPv8xi
— Sun Devil Men's Golf (@sundevilmgolf) February 28, 2017
A quick look through the history books shows the Sun Devils could be visiting the 13th Aggie Invitational for the first time. Oklahoma State has won four team titles (2018, 2016, 2009 and 2005) to lead the way, while Texas A&M earned wins in 2010, 2011 and 2014.
APRIL 12-13: ASU THUNDERBIRD INVITATIONAL (PAPAGO GOLF COURSE IN PHOENIX, AZ/ARIZONA STATE)
Nineteen ASU teams have now won the Thunderbird Invitational, with ASU winning the title in 1984, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2015 and 2017. ASU makes the change to Papago this year for the first time.
"We especially look forward to hosting our ASU Thunderbird Invitational this year. The loaded field features nine teams from last year's NCAA Championship and will be hosted the same week as The Masters at our new facility at Papago Golf Course. We will create a great fan experience and hope to see many out there enjoying the stars of college golf and future PGA Tour stars."
We head to the @pac12 championships with three tournament titles on the year. We want 6. Read all about our Thunderbird title here ... https://t.co/FtD8GRMC9l
— Sun Devil Men's Golf (@sundevilmgolf) April 16, 2018
SUN DEVIL TEAM WINS UNDER MATT THURMOND (5)
ASU Thunderbird Invitational April 14-15, 2018
Bandon Dunes Intercollegiate March 11-13, 2018
Maui Jim Intercollegiate September 22-24, 2017
ASU Thunderbird Invitational March 18-19, 2017
Alister MacKenzie Invitational Oct. 10-11, 2016
APRIL 22-24: PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIP (EUGENE COUNTRY CLUB IN EUGENE, OR/OREGON)
Arizona State has won 12 Pac-10 titles in its 40 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. Jon Rahm won the 2016 title and Paul Casey won three straight Pac-10 titles from 1998-2000, which 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).
MAY 13-15: NCAA REGIONALS (SITE AND COURSE TBD)
With the team victory and Jon Rahm's title at the 2016 Albuquerque Regional, ASU has won or tied for a NCAA regional title seven times. ASU tied with Arizona in 1991 and tied with New Mexico in 1998. It won the title outright in 1995, 1999, 2001 2009 and 2016. In addition to Rahm's two titles (2015 as well), Sun Devil Paul Casey won a 1998 individual regional title outright followed by Jeff Quinney (1999), Benjamin Alvarado Holley (2007) and then Jesper Kennegard in 2009. Matt Jones shared medalist honors in 2001. Regionals are set for the University of Louisville Golf Club, Stanford Golf Course, University of Georgia Golf Course, Palouse Ridge Golf Club (Pullman, WA), TPC Myrtle Beach in South Carolina (hosted by Coastal Carolina and Myrtle Beach Regional Sports Alliance) and The Harvester Golf Club in Rhodes, IA (hosted by Iowa State).
SUN DEVILS AS NCAA REGIONAL CHAMPIONS
Jon Rahm, 2016 and 2015
Jesper Kennegard, 2009
Ben Alvarado, 2007
Matt Jones, 2001 (shared)
Jeff Quinney, 1999
Paul Casey, 1998
MAY 24-29: NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP (BLESSING COURSE/FAYETTEVILLE, AR/ARKANSAS)
ASU under 2008 National Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee and Pac-12 Coach of the Century Randy Lein won the 1996 team title and also won the 1990 title under 2002 ASU Hall of Fame and 2009 NGCA Hall of Fame inductee Steve Loy. The Sun Devils have competed at the NCAA Championship 54 times, which is fourth-best. Arizona State University and Grayhawk Golf Club will host the 2020 through 2022 NCAA Division I Men's & Women's Golf Championships on Golf Channel in Scottsdale, Ariz. It becomes the first time a university and golf course will host the championships for three consecutive seasons. The championship will be contested on Grayhawk Golf Club's Raptor course, a par-72, 7,090-yard Tom Fazio design that is listed among the "Best Public Golf Courses in Arizona" by Golf Magazine. Since debuting in 1995, Raptor has hosted several premier competitive golf tournaments, including the PGA TOUR's Frys.com Open (2007-2009). Grayhawk also hosted Pro-Ams for the Waste Management Phoenix Open (1996 to 2012), The Tommy Bahama Challenge (2004 & 2005) and presently hosts the AJGA Thunderbird International Junior since 2000.