The @SunDevilMGolf team used strong rounds from freshman
Mason Andersen and sophomore
Blake Wagoner on Sunday to advance to the next round of the #NCAAGolf Championships at Karsten Creek Golf Course (par-72/7,460 yards) in Stillwater, Okla. ASU shot 7-over 295 and is at 16-over 880 (296-289-295) and in 13th place, eight shots back for the No. 8 spot for match play.
The top 15 teams and nine individuals not on an advancing team now 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.
A good sign for ASU after Saturday's round was that 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 hole to post 73 after posting 78 in the first round. On Sunday they did it again, each shooting a 1-under 71 on the tough course. Andersen had four birdies and an eagle at the 350-yard par 4 No. 12, and his final birdie on No. 18 gave ASU a little breathing room as it left the course.
Wagoner was solid all day with a birdie to start the day and posted four more. After posting a bogey on No. 14 made par on each of the final four holes, the only Sun Devil with a clean card in those closing spots.
Sophomore
Alex del Rey has 13 birdies and one eagle through 54 holes while sophomore
Chun An Yu finally had a tough round, shooting 5-over 77. He wil enter the final stroke play round tied for 27th.
Freshman
Koichiro Ishika has battled back from three tough starts. 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. On Sunday he posted bogey on the opening hole and was 3-over through seven but then had three straight birdies. He also birdied No. 18.
ASU is scheduled to tee Monday beginning at 11:30 a.m. CT with Illinois and North Carolina.
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 25-28 STROKE PLAY
TEAM LEADERS AND ASU
1. Duke 291-287-276=854/-10
2. Oklahoma State 287-285-285=857/-7
3. Texas Tech 284-287290=861/-3
8. Kent State 288-291-293=872/+8
13. Arizona State 296-289-295=880/+16
INDIVIDUAL LEADER/SUN DEVIL SCORES
1. Bryson Nimmer, Clemson 64-75-68=207/-9
T26.
Chun An Yu 69-70-77=216/E
T52.
Alex del Rey 72-72-77=221/+5
T60.
Mason Andersen 77-74-71=222/+6
T60.
Blake Wagoner 78-73-71=222/+6
T127.
Koichiro Ishika 80-74-76=230/+14
