Fresh off its third straight NCAA top-five finish – one of only three teams to make NCAA Championship match play the past three seasons -- Arizona State men's golf eighth-year head coach Matt Thurmond have announced the 2023-24 schedule, one they know will position the Sun Devils for another run to the top step.
ASU will compete in nine states and will travel to Mexico for the fifth time in six years. The Sun Devils make visits to Washington, Illinois, Texas, North Carolina, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Mexico and Florida.
"Once again we will be playing one of the most competitive schedules one can play," says Coach Thurmond. "From Hawaii, to Mexico, and through Texas and Illinois, and all the way to Florida, there isn't anywhere we won't go. We look forward to a new trip when we go to North Carolina. Several of the courses are PGA TOUR level courses and venues. We travel far and wide to return right back here to Arizona for the Thunderbird Collegiate and the Pac-12 Championships in April with our eyes on competing for a NCAA title in San Diego."
"Our schedule is always a good mix of grasses, time zones, temperatures, course types, and competitive fields and will push our guys to adapt and learn and be able perform in any and all circumstances. We can't wait to get started and especially look forward making another run at an NCAA Championships in California."
ONE PRESEASON MEN'S GOLF POLL
Arizona State is ranked second in the men's golf 2023-24 Bushnll/Golfweek Coaches Poll, behind only North Carolina. Others notables in the top-25 include Pac-12 members Stanford (seventh), Arizona (19th) and Oregon (22nd) along with Big 12 members Oklahoma State (16th) and Texas Tech (T-17th).
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THE SCHEDULE
SAHALEE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP (SEPT. 9-10)/SAMMAMISH, WA/SAHALEE COUNTRY CLUB
Matt Thurmond and associate head coach Thomas Sutton both coached at Washington and had much success, and they will return to the state to open the 2023-24 season. Sahalee Country Club, Washington men's golf and Fortinet announced the low amateur individual winner of the 2023 Sahalee Player's Championship will play the following weekend in the Fortinet Championship, a PGA TOUR tournament in Napa Valley on Sept 11-17, 2023. ASU will be joined by host Washington, Arizona, Duke, Illinois, Oklahoma State, Pepperdine, Stanford, Texas, Texas Tech, USC and Wake Forest.
FIGHTING ILLINI INVITATIONAL (SEPT. 15-17)/CHICAGO, IL/OLYMPIA FIELDS
The Sun Devils competed in the Fighting Illini Invitational in the fall of 2021, a place where in 2006 where Niklas Lemke won the individual title with a 66 in the final round. Cameron Sisk and David Puig paced the second-place Sun Devils with a tie for second place individually in 2021, each carding two under-par. The team shot 55-over 845 (285-279-281) and was only two strokes behind North Carolina. Last year, Ryggs Johnston sniffed the lead late, eventually securing his second-best career finish (fourth) as the team finished fourth. ASU won the 2009 title with Scott Pinckney leadinig the way for Randy Lein's squad.
BEN HOGAN COLONIAL COLLEGIATE (OCT. 2-3)/FORT WORTH, TX/SHADY OAKS GOLF CLUB
ASU will be making a trip to Texas for the third consecutive year and a second trip to the Colonial Collegiate. In 2021, they played at the Maridoe Collegiate Invitational and Cameron Sisk took home the individual title. Last year Ryggs Johnston carded a 3-under 67 in the final round as Arizona State finished the Ben Hogan Collegiate tied for third.
WILLIAMS CUP (OCT. 9-10)/WILMINGTON, N.C./EAGLE POINT GOLF CLUB
North Carolina hosts the event for the third time, which is named in honor of Roy Williams.
THE CPC INVITATIONAL (OCT. 30-31)/MONTERREY, CA/CYPRESS POINT
The final tournament of the fall takes place in California, the same state where ASU hopes to end its season on a great note in late May.
THE COPPER CUP (JAN. 14-15)/MARICOPA, AZ/AK-CHIN SOUTHERN DUNES
The Copper Cup returns to Maricopa, as ASU topped Arizona 15-9 in 2022 in a great comeback.The Sun Devils won seven of the eight afternoon singles matches -- five of them by a 1-up score. ASU also won the first event in January of 2021.
THE AMER ARI INTERCOLLEGIATE (FEB. 8-10) WAIKOLOA, HI/MAUNA LANI GOLF RESORT
Arizona State in 2021 led after the opening round but finished third in the 31st annual Amer Ari Intercollegiate, with Oklahoma State taking the victory. ASU shot 268-273-281 for 42-under-par and was eight strokes by behind the winner. Mason Andersen finished in tie for third, just three strokes off champion Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra, who carded a course record 62, 10 under par in the final round.
SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS COLLEGIATE (FEB. 25-27)/LAS VEGAS, NV/SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS
Arizona State in 2021 led after the opening round but finished third in the 31st annual Amer Ari Intercollegiate, with Oklahoma State taking the victory.
THE CABO COLLEGIATE (MARCH 3-5)/CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO/TWIN DOLPHIN
Preston Summerhays carded his second straight round in the 60s in the final round to help ASU (288-280-283=851/-1) finish third. Freshman Luke Potter also notched his third career top-10 finish. The Sun Devils were one of three teams to finish the tournament under par, and improved by six places compared to last year's finish when the team tied for ninth place. Summerhays (74-67-68= 209/-4) shot 7-under throughout the final two rounds, including 11 birdies and one eagle, to help him secure his first top-five finish as a Sun Devil, as the sophomore's 11 birdies was third most in the field.
VALSPAR INVITATIONAL (MARCH 25-26)/WEST PALM BEACH, FL/FLORIDA GOLF COURSE HOSTED HOUSTON
ASU will head to West Palm Beach for the Valspar Invitational, as in 2023 it tied for sixth with five top-10 teams and 12 ranked opponents featured. Preston Summerhays (67-71-66=204/-9) continued his streak of excellent play carding a 5-under 66 in the third round to earn his third straight top-five finish. Summerhays torched the back-9 with six birdies to stay within contention of the leaders.
THUNDERBIRD COLLEGIATE (APRIL 12-13)/PHOENIX, AZ/PAPAGO GOLF CLUB
The Sun Devils will host the prestigious Thunderbird Collegiate here in Phoenix, coming off a year where Preston Summerhays combined consistency with clutch putts on the back-nine to win the individual and team titles in 2023. James Leow won the 2022 event as he piloted ASU to a second-place team finish. He shot 14-under 199 (67-66-66) that included 9-under on par-5 holes. He tied for the tournament lead with 17 birdies and had a mere five bogeys. Other recent Sun Devils to win the iconic Thunderbird Collegiate include Chun An Yu in 2019 and three-time champion Jon Rahm in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
SUN DEVIL INDIVIDUAL THUNDERBIRD COLLEGIATE WINNERS
Preston Summerhays - 2023
James Leow - 2022
Chun An Yu - 2019
Jon Rahm - 2016, 2015, 2014
Stephan Gross - 2009 (co-medalist)
Alejandro Canizares - 2003
Paul Casey - 2001
Jeff Quinney - 2000
Todd Demsey - 1995
Larry Barber - 1994
Phil Mickelson - 1992, 1991
Jim Carter - 1984
Mark Sollenberger - 1974
PAC 12 CHAMPIONSHIP (APRIL 26-28)/CAREFREE, AZ/DESERT FOREST GOLF CLUB
Since joining the Pac-12 in 1978-79, no program has won more men's golf league titles than Arizona State (12). The program will host the 2024 Pac-12 Men's Golf Championship at Desert Forest Golf Club April 26-28. The three-day, 6-count-5, 72-hole stroke play competition enters its 64th championship in 2024. In the 63 stagings, the host has won 18 times, including Stanford in 2023 and Washington in 2022 at Aldarra Golf Club in Sammamish, Wash. ASU has won a dozen Pac-12 team titles (2008, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1993, 1990, 1989, 1981 and 1979)
SUN DEVILS AS PAC-12 MEN'S GOLF INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS
Jon Rahm, 272 (2016)
Paul Casey, 265 (2000)
Paul Casey, 265 (1999)
Paul Casey, 283 (1998)
Scott Johnson, 283 (1997)
Phil Mickelson, 278 (1990)
Dan Forsman/Tony Grimes, 283 (1981 co-medalists)
Jim Bertoncino, 280 (1980 three tied for title)
Scott Watkins/Dan Croonquist, 277 (1979 co-medalists)
NCAA REGIONAL (MAY 13-15)/LOCATION TBD
The program won in record-breaking fashion the 2023 NCAA Las Vegas Regional with a 59-under 805 (262-276-267) led by Preston Summerhays' magnificent round of 65 and Josele Ballester's and Michael Mjaaseth rounds of 67 to place them in the top-10 at Bear's Best Las Vegas. The win was ASU's ninth regional title since 1989 and second straight after not winning one since 2016. In 2022, ASU swung it loud and in emphatic fashion, shooting 38-under 826 (279-276-271) and had its four student-athletes who competed each day finish in the top 10 individually on the way to the win. Mason Andersen paced ASU with a second place finish shooting 60-68-68=206/-10.
Arizona State made an solid run to the 2022 NCAA title in reaching the finals and ultimately falling 3-2 against Texas, and then made another run at match play in 2023. The runner-up result in 2022 was the program's best finish nationally since the 1996 championship season and included wins against the defending NCAA champion and runner-up on the same day, the first occurrence since the national championship was switched to match play format in 2009. ASU will look to claim its third NCAA championship, as it won titles in 1990 and 1996.
ASU will compete in nine states and will travel to Mexico for the fifth time in six years. The Sun Devils make visits to Washington, Illinois, Texas, North Carolina, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Mexico and Florida.
"Once again we will be playing one of the most competitive schedules one can play," says Coach Thurmond. "From Hawaii, to Mexico, and through Texas and Illinois, and all the way to Florida, there isn't anywhere we won't go. We look forward to a new trip when we go to North Carolina. Several of the courses are PGA TOUR level courses and venues. We travel far and wide to return right back here to Arizona for the Thunderbird Collegiate and the Pac-12 Championships in April with our eyes on competing for a NCAA title in San Diego."
"Our schedule is always a good mix of grasses, time zones, temperatures, course types, and competitive fields and will push our guys to adapt and learn and be able perform in any and all circumstances. We can't wait to get started and especially look forward making another run at an NCAA Championships in California."
ONE PRESEASON MEN'S GOLF POLL
Arizona State is ranked second in the men's golf 2023-24 Bushnll/Golfweek Coaches Poll, behind only North Carolina. Others notables in the top-25 include Pac-12 members Stanford (seventh), Arizona (19th) and Oregon (22nd) along with Big 12 members Oklahoma State (16th) and Texas Tech (T-17th).
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THE SCHEDULE
SAHALEE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP (SEPT. 9-10)/SAMMAMISH, WA/SAHALEE COUNTRY CLUB
Matt Thurmond and associate head coach Thomas Sutton both coached at Washington and had much success, and they will return to the state to open the 2023-24 season. Sahalee Country Club, Washington men's golf and Fortinet announced the low amateur individual winner of the 2023 Sahalee Player's Championship will play the following weekend in the Fortinet Championship, a PGA TOUR tournament in Napa Valley on Sept 11-17, 2023. ASU will be joined by host Washington, Arizona, Duke, Illinois, Oklahoma State, Pepperdine, Stanford, Texas, Texas Tech, USC and Wake Forest.
FIGHTING ILLINI INVITATIONAL (SEPT. 15-17)/CHICAGO, IL/OLYMPIA FIELDS
The Sun Devils competed in the Fighting Illini Invitational in the fall of 2021, a place where in 2006 where Niklas Lemke won the individual title with a 66 in the final round. Cameron Sisk and David Puig paced the second-place Sun Devils with a tie for second place individually in 2021, each carding two under-par. The team shot 55-over 845 (285-279-281) and was only two strokes behind North Carolina. Last year, Ryggs Johnston sniffed the lead late, eventually securing his second-best career finish (fourth) as the team finished fourth. ASU won the 2009 title with Scott Pinckney leadinig the way for Randy Lein's squad.
BEN HOGAN COLONIAL COLLEGIATE (OCT. 2-3)/FORT WORTH, TX/SHADY OAKS GOLF CLUB
ASU will be making a trip to Texas for the third consecutive year and a second trip to the Colonial Collegiate. In 2021, they played at the Maridoe Collegiate Invitational and Cameron Sisk took home the individual title. Last year Ryggs Johnston carded a 3-under 67 in the final round as Arizona State finished the Ben Hogan Collegiate tied for third.
WILLIAMS CUP (OCT. 9-10)/WILMINGTON, N.C./EAGLE POINT GOLF CLUB
North Carolina hosts the event for the third time, which is named in honor of Roy Williams.
THE CPC INVITATIONAL (OCT. 30-31)/MONTERREY, CA/CYPRESS POINT
The final tournament of the fall takes place in California, the same state where ASU hopes to end its season on a great note in late May.
THE COPPER CUP (JAN. 14-15)/MARICOPA, AZ/AK-CHIN SOUTHERN DUNES
The Copper Cup returns to Maricopa, as ASU topped Arizona 15-9 in 2022 in a great comeback.The Sun Devils won seven of the eight afternoon singles matches -- five of them by a 1-up score. ASU also won the first event in January of 2021.
THE AMER ARI INTERCOLLEGIATE (FEB. 8-10) WAIKOLOA, HI/MAUNA LANI GOLF RESORT
Arizona State in 2021 led after the opening round but finished third in the 31st annual Amer Ari Intercollegiate, with Oklahoma State taking the victory. ASU shot 268-273-281 for 42-under-par and was eight strokes by behind the winner. Mason Andersen finished in tie for third, just three strokes off champion Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra, who carded a course record 62, 10 under par in the final round.
SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS COLLEGIATE (FEB. 25-27)/LAS VEGAS, NV/SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS
Arizona State in 2021 led after the opening round but finished third in the 31st annual Amer Ari Intercollegiate, with Oklahoma State taking the victory.
THE CABO COLLEGIATE (MARCH 3-5)/CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO/TWIN DOLPHIN
Preston Summerhays carded his second straight round in the 60s in the final round to help ASU (288-280-283=851/-1) finish third. Freshman Luke Potter also notched his third career top-10 finish. The Sun Devils were one of three teams to finish the tournament under par, and improved by six places compared to last year's finish when the team tied for ninth place. Summerhays (74-67-68= 209/-4) shot 7-under throughout the final two rounds, including 11 birdies and one eagle, to help him secure his first top-five finish as a Sun Devil, as the sophomore's 11 birdies was third most in the field.
Please join us March 3-5 at #TwinDolphin #Cabo as we welcome the best in #collegegolf @RazorbackMGolf @Vol_Golf @FSUGolf @VandyMGolf @OSUCowboyGolf @TexasTechMGolf @StanfordMGolf @CalMensGolf @BaylorMGolf @OleMissMGolf @CULionsMGolf @ArizonaMGolf @sundevilmgolf @RiceGolf… pic.twitter.com/jyzVqQYRAL
— Cabo Collegiate (@CaboCollegiate) August 21, 2023
VALSPAR INVITATIONAL (MARCH 25-26)/WEST PALM BEACH, FL/FLORIDA GOLF COURSE HOSTED HOUSTON
ASU will head to West Palm Beach for the Valspar Invitational, as in 2023 it tied for sixth with five top-10 teams and 12 ranked opponents featured. Preston Summerhays (67-71-66=204/-9) continued his streak of excellent play carding a 5-under 66 in the third round to earn his third straight top-five finish. Summerhays torched the back-9 with six birdies to stay within contention of the leaders.
THUNDERBIRD COLLEGIATE (APRIL 12-13)/PHOENIX, AZ/PAPAGO GOLF CLUB
The Sun Devils will host the prestigious Thunderbird Collegiate here in Phoenix, coming off a year where Preston Summerhays combined consistency with clutch putts on the back-nine to win the individual and team titles in 2023. James Leow won the 2022 event as he piloted ASU to a second-place team finish. He shot 14-under 199 (67-66-66) that included 9-under on par-5 holes. He tied for the tournament lead with 17 birdies and had a mere five bogeys. Other recent Sun Devils to win the iconic Thunderbird Collegiate include Chun An Yu in 2019 and three-time champion Jon Rahm in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
SUN DEVIL INDIVIDUAL THUNDERBIRD COLLEGIATE WINNERS
Preston Summerhays - 2023
James Leow - 2022
Chun An Yu - 2019
Jon Rahm - 2016, 2015, 2014
Stephan Gross - 2009 (co-medalist)
Alejandro Canizares - 2003
Paul Casey - 2001
Jeff Quinney - 2000
Todd Demsey - 1995
Larry Barber - 1994
Phil Mickelson - 1992, 1991
Jim Carter - 1984
Mark Sollenberger - 1974
PAC 12 CHAMPIONSHIP (APRIL 26-28)/CAREFREE, AZ/DESERT FOREST GOLF CLUB
Since joining the Pac-12 in 1978-79, no program has won more men's golf league titles than Arizona State (12). The program will host the 2024 Pac-12 Men's Golf Championship at Desert Forest Golf Club April 26-28. The three-day, 6-count-5, 72-hole stroke play competition enters its 64th championship in 2024. In the 63 stagings, the host has won 18 times, including Stanford in 2023 and Washington in 2022 at Aldarra Golf Club in Sammamish, Wash. ASU has won a dozen Pac-12 team titles (2008, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1993, 1990, 1989, 1981 and 1979)
SUN DEVILS AS PAC-12 MEN'S GOLF INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS
Jon Rahm, 272 (2016)
Paul Casey, 265 (2000)
Paul Casey, 265 (1999)
Paul Casey, 283 (1998)
Scott Johnson, 283 (1997)
Phil Mickelson, 278 (1990)
Dan Forsman/Tony Grimes, 283 (1981 co-medalists)
Jim Bertoncino, 280 (1980 three tied for title)
Scott Watkins/Dan Croonquist, 277 (1979 co-medalists)
We are thrilled to host the 2024 Pac-12 Men's Golf Championships at Carefree's Desert Forest Golf Club!#ForksUp /// #O2V
— Sun Devil Men's Golf (@sundevilmgolf) May 24, 2023
NCAA REGIONAL (MAY 13-15)/LOCATION TBD
The program won in record-breaking fashion the 2023 NCAA Las Vegas Regional with a 59-under 805 (262-276-267) led by Preston Summerhays' magnificent round of 65 and Josele Ballester's and Michael Mjaaseth rounds of 67 to place them in the top-10 at Bear's Best Las Vegas. The win was ASU's ninth regional title since 1989 and second straight after not winning one since 2016. In 2022, ASU swung it loud and in emphatic fashion, shooting 38-under 826 (279-276-271) and had its four student-athletes who competed each day finish in the top 10 individually on the way to the win. Mason Andersen paced ASU with a second place finish shooting 60-68-68=206/-10.
2024 NCAA MEN'S GOLF REGIONAL HOSTS
Austin, Texas/The University of Texas Golf Club
Baton Rouge, Louisiana/University Club
Chapel Hill, North Carolina/UNC Finley Golf Course
Rancho Santa Fe, California/The Farms Golf Club
Stanford, California/Stanford Golf Course
West Lafayette, Indiana/Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex
Arizona State made an solid run to the 2022 NCAA title in reaching the finals and ultimately falling 3-2 against Texas, and then made another run at match play in 2023. The runner-up result in 2022 was the program's best finish nationally since the 1996 championship season and included wins against the defending NCAA champion and runner-up on the same day, the first occurrence since the national championship was switched to match play format in 2009. ASU will look to claim its third NCAA championship, as it won titles in 1990 and 1996.