The Arizona State men's golf team never overcame a tough round one start and fell five shots short of advancing to the NCAA Championship as it closed its season in the Rancho Santa Fe Regional Wednesday afternoon.
The Pac-12 champions shot 15-over 855 (286-285-284) at The Farms Golf Club, as North Florida grabbed the fifth spot at 10-over 850 (277-286-287).
Ryggs Johnston closed his career with a top-10 finish, as he tied for ninth at 1-over 211 (73-69-69). Both Josele Ballester and Connor Williams tied for 13th at 3-over 143 (71-72-70).
NOT THE ONLY ONE
Each year, several top-30 teams get knocked out of NCAA contention at regionals, and ASU had avoided that since 2014. This year nine top-30 teams didn't advance, including five top-10 teams, as third-ranked ASU, Ole Miss (7), Arkanas (8), Alabama (9), Washington (10), Georgia (20), Oregon (24), Duke (25) and Northwestern (28) all didn't make the regional cut.
THE FORMAT
Six 54-hole regional tournaments were conducted May 13-15. The top five teams and the low individual not on those teams from each regional now advance to the finals. Team and individual medalist titles will be decided May 24-29 at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California. Texas is the host institution for the 2024 championships.
REGIONAL ALWAYS TOUGH, LOOK AT LAST YEAR
NCAA golf regional action annually is a time when several possible championship contenders don't make it through to NCAA Championships. The following note puts into perspective how difficult it is to advance from 2023...eight of the Top-30 Golfstat teams did not make the cut in 2023: #7 Auburn, #8 Oregon, #11 Arizona, #19 UCF, #20 Iowa State, #21 Florida, #23 Ohio State and #29 Kentucky.
NCAA MEN'S GOLF RANCHO SANTA FE REGIONAL
THE FARMS GOLF CLUB
MAY 13-15, 2024
PAR 70/6,962 YARDS/TOP 30 RANKING IN PARENTHESES
Oklahoma (16) 284-284-269=837/-3
California (22) 280-284-279=843/+3
Oklahoma State (26) 278-288-279=845/+5
West Virginia 285-280-280=845/+5
North Florida 277-286-287=850/+10
Arizona State (3) 286-285-284=855/+15
San Diego 285-284-288=857/+17
Washington (10) 290-291-279=860/+20
South Florida 293-288-281=862/+22
Chattanooga 294-288-286=868/+28
Kansas 297-298-288=883/+43
Wright State 298-306-289=893/+53
Seton Hall 302-303-293=898/+58
Winthrop 305-308-303=916/+76
SUN DEVIL MEN'S REGIONAL FINISHES UNDER MATT THURMOND
2024: 6th/Rancho Santa Fe, California
2023: 1st/Las Vegas, Nevada
2022: 1st/Stockton, California
2021: T-2nd/Albuquerque, N.M.
2019: T-2nd/Stanford, California
2018: 5th/Raleigh, N.C.
2017: 5th/Austin, Texas
COACH THURMOND REGIONAL NOTE: Coach Thurmond had reached the NCAA Championship in all six chances at ASU prior to this season. Since becoming a head coach in 2002, his squads have made the NCAA Championship in 18 of his 22 seasons, missing only in 2024, 2016, 2011 and 2007.
SUN DEVIL MEN'S GOLF REGIONAL FINISHES
2024:6th/Rancho Santa Fe, California
2023: 1st/Las Vegas, Nevada
2022: 1st/Stockton, California
2021: T-2nd/Albuquerque, New Mexico
2019: T-2nd/Stanford, California
2018: 5th/Raleigh, N.C.
2017: 5th/Austin, Texas
2016: 1st/Albuquerque, New Mexico
2015: 2nd/San Diego, California
2014: 6th/Columbia, Mo.
2013: 5th/Tempe, Arizona
2012: DNC
2011: T-4th/Erie, Colorado
2010: T-4th/Atlanta, Georgia
2009: 1st/Daly City, California
2008: 8th/Bremerton, Washington
2007: T-3rd/Tempe, Arizona
2006: T-3rd/Tucson, Arizona
2005: T-4th/Stanford, California
2004: 4th/Sunriver, Oregon
2003: T-5th/Seattle, Washington
2002: 20th/Albuquerque, New Mexico
2001: 1st/Corvallis, Oregon
2000: T-6th/Fresno, California
1999: 1st/Tucson, Arizona
1998: T-1st/Tempe, Arizona
1997: 2nd/Santee, California
1996: 2nd/Stanford, California
1995: 1st/Albuquerque, New Mexico
1994: 2nd/Tucson, Arizona
1993: 2nd/Provo, Utah
1992: 2nd/Tucson, Arizona
1991: T-1st/Albuquerque, New Mexico
1990: 3rd/Las Cruces, New Mexico
1989: 2nd/El Paso, Texas
The Pac-12 champions shot 15-over 855 (286-285-284) at The Farms Golf Club, as North Florida grabbed the fifth spot at 10-over 850 (277-286-287).
Ryggs Johnston closed his career with a top-10 finish, as he tied for ninth at 1-over 211 (73-69-69). Both Josele Ballester and Connor Williams tied for 13th at 3-over 143 (71-72-70).
NOT THE ONLY ONE
Each year, several top-30 teams get knocked out of NCAA contention at regionals, and ASU had avoided that since 2014. This year nine top-30 teams didn't advance, including five top-10 teams, as third-ranked ASU, Ole Miss (7), Arkanas (8), Alabama (9), Washington (10), Georgia (20), Oregon (24), Duke (25) and Northwestern (28) all didn't make the regional cut.
"This game will teach you a hard lesson. It's just how life and sports work; you get kicked down sometimes, and you kind of need those wake-up calls to reach your full potential."@sundevilmgolf coach reflects after shocking regional exit:https://t.co/6DbK2kY7FK
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) May 16, 2024
THE FORMAT
Six 54-hole regional tournaments were conducted May 13-15. The top five teams and the low individual not on those teams from each regional now advance to the finals. Team and individual medalist titles will be decided May 24-29 at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California. Texas is the host institution for the 2024 championships.
REGIONAL ALWAYS TOUGH, LOOK AT LAST YEAR
NCAA golf regional action annually is a time when several possible championship contenders don't make it through to NCAA Championships. The following note puts into perspective how difficult it is to advance from 2023...eight of the Top-30 Golfstat teams did not make the cut in 2023: #7 Auburn, #8 Oregon, #11 Arizona, #19 UCF, #20 Iowa State, #21 Florida, #23 Ohio State and #29 Kentucky.
NCAA MEN'S GOLF RANCHO SANTA FE REGIONAL
THE FARMS GOLF CLUB
MAY 13-15, 2024
PAR 70/6,962 YARDS/TOP 30 RANKING IN PARENTHESES
Oklahoma (16) 284-284-269=837/-3
California (22) 280-284-279=843/+3
Oklahoma State (26) 278-288-279=845/+5
West Virginia 285-280-280=845/+5
North Florida 277-286-287=850/+10
Arizona State (3) 286-285-284=855/+15
San Diego 285-284-288=857/+17
Washington (10) 290-291-279=860/+20
South Florida 293-288-281=862/+22
Chattanooga 294-288-286=868/+28
Kansas 297-298-288=883/+43
Wright State 298-306-289=893/+53
Seton Hall 302-303-293=898/+58
Winthrop 305-308-303=916/+76
SUN DEVIL MEN'S REGIONAL FINISHES UNDER MATT THURMOND
2024: 6th/Rancho Santa Fe, California
2023: 1st/Las Vegas, Nevada
2022: 1st/Stockton, California
2021: T-2nd/Albuquerque, N.M.
2019: T-2nd/Stanford, California
2018: 5th/Raleigh, N.C.
2017: 5th/Austin, Texas
COACH THURMOND REGIONAL NOTE: Coach Thurmond had reached the NCAA Championship in all six chances at ASU prior to this season. Since becoming a head coach in 2002, his squads have made the NCAA Championship in 18 of his 22 seasons, missing only in 2024, 2016, 2011 and 2007.
SUN DEVIL MEN'S GOLF REGIONAL FINISHES
2024:6th/Rancho Santa Fe, California
2023: 1st/Las Vegas, Nevada
2022: 1st/Stockton, California
2021: T-2nd/Albuquerque, New Mexico
2019: T-2nd/Stanford, California
2018: 5th/Raleigh, N.C.
2017: 5th/Austin, Texas
2016: 1st/Albuquerque, New Mexico
2015: 2nd/San Diego, California
2014: 6th/Columbia, Mo.
2013: 5th/Tempe, Arizona
2012: DNC
2011: T-4th/Erie, Colorado
2010: T-4th/Atlanta, Georgia
2009: 1st/Daly City, California
2008: 8th/Bremerton, Washington
2007: T-3rd/Tempe, Arizona
2006: T-3rd/Tucson, Arizona
2005: T-4th/Stanford, California
2004: 4th/Sunriver, Oregon
2003: T-5th/Seattle, Washington
2002: 20th/Albuquerque, New Mexico
2001: 1st/Corvallis, Oregon
2000: T-6th/Fresno, California
1999: 1st/Tucson, Arizona
1998: T-1st/Tempe, Arizona
1997: 2nd/Santee, California
1996: 2nd/Stanford, California
1995: 1st/Albuquerque, New Mexico
1994: 2nd/Tucson, Arizona
1993: 2nd/Provo, Utah
1992: 2nd/Tucson, Arizona
1991: T-1st/Albuquerque, New Mexico
1990: 3rd/Las Cruces, New Mexico
1989: 2nd/El Paso, Texas