Led by sophomore Connor Williams -- again -- the Sun Devils cooked the course with an 11-under 277, as Williams went 5-under 67, while Josele Ballester, Peer Wernicke and Preston Summerhays all shot 2-under 70. Williams is tied at 9-under 135 (68-67) for the lead with Michael La Sasso or Oregon, with the next individuals four shots back.
The counting four scores had 17 birdies and just six bogeys. On the par-5 No. 18, ASU's ninth hole of the day as it started on the back, the Sun Devils had four birdies and a par. Michael Mjaaseth had five birdies and had a solid 1-under 71, but that score wasn't even needed in the 5-count-4 format.
The team took advantage of the par-5 holes, shooting a tournament-best 15 under and is tied for the most birdies with 36.
ASU will turn around and tee early Sunday (6:52 a.m.) at the at the Omni La Costa Resort and Spa (North Course).
Head Coach Matt Thurmond (Arizona State currently tied for first)
On the team's performance
"It was a great round. We have put ourselves in an advantageous position. I am pleased with the way we have competed the past two days. To post a score like that, which will probably hold up as the lowest round of the day, provides a huge confidence boost for us going forward."
On Connor Williams being tied for the lead
"This is what Connor has been capable of. He is an extremely talented golfer who continues to grow every day. That was an impressive round coming off a great start yesterday. He is playing smart and consistent golf. The key will be maintaining his focus and continue playing the same way that got him the lead."
On throwing out a score that was under par
"When you don't count a score of one-under par, that means you had a pretty good day. From top to bottom, the guys came out prepared and ready to attack the course. If you look at our scorecards, you do not see many bogeys, which was what I had hoped for. Playing clean golf at this course is rewarded."
On mindset going forward
"While it is certainly a nice start, having the lead through two does nothing for you. You still must earn your spot for two more days of stroke play – then once you get to match play – it is an entirely different game. We will practice for about 30 to 60 minutes this afternoon, hit reset tonight, and get ourselves mentally and physically ready to go tomorrow morning."
Sophomore Connor Williams (currently tied for individual lead)
On having a share of the lead after two rounds
"It is exciting, but there is still a lot of golf left. There are so many talented players in this field that can make a run. I do feel good about being in the lead, but it makes me even more motivated to come out and keep it the next two days. I enjoy playing this course and my teammates have been keeping me in the right frame of mind to compete at a high level."
On what part of his game has been working
"Playing confident and loose has made a difference. Getting a chance to play in front of friends and family near where I grew up has also helped me elevate my game. I have been scrambling well – I think I went 6-for-6 today – which has allowed me to avoid some higher scores. My familiarity with this course and the weather also has played a factor. Coach Thurmond and Coach Sutton put a great plan together for me before each round and I have been able to execute."
On being able to contribute to a team lead
"I try not to pay too much attention to the leaderboards during the round, but it felt good to see our name up there after the round. All the guys played well today. We had a good feeling heading into the round. Yesterday, we just missed on a couple of putts and made a few too many mistakes. We were much sharper today and the scores reflected that."
NOTES FROM SATURDAY
- The last time Arizona State had the team lead after any round at the NCAA Championship was 2021 (1st place after 4th round heading into Match Play).
- The last time Arizona State had the team lead after 36 holes at the NCAA Championships was 1996. They went on to win the NCAA Championship that year.
- Arizona State fired a 277 (-11), the lowest round of the day and lowest round by any team through two days at the NCAA Championship. The Sun Devils shot five strokes lower than any other team today.
- Arizona State ranks first in Par 5 scoring average (4.63) and are 15-under on such opportunities.
- The 36 birdies by the Sun Devils are tied for first with Oklahoma State for the most of any team in the field.
- ASU has only two double bogeys, the least of any team in the field. Every other team has at least four double bogeys.
- All five Sun Devil golfers moved up the individual standings. The biggest movers included Peer Wernicke (+41), Preston Summerhays (+41), and Michael Mjaaseth (+58).
- Four Sun Devils rank inside the Top-25 in the individual standings. All five Sun Devils are in the Top-62.
- Connor Williams is tied for first place after two rounds at the NCAA Championship. He is looking to become ASU's first NCAA Individual Medalist since Alejandro Cañizares in 2003. He would be the seventh Sun Devil to win the NCAA Title.
- Connor Williams' bogey-free round of 67 (-5) is one of five bogey-free rounds through two days.
Sun Devil ninth-year head coach Matt Thurmond - a 2024 National Golf Coaches Hall of Fame inductee -- leads the Sun Devils, who 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 won the 1990 title under 2002 ASU Hall of Fame and 2009 NGCA Hall of Fame inductee Steve Loy.
Same Format
Finals play consists of three days of stroke play on Friday, May 23 through Sunday, May 25 (54 holes), after which the top 15 teams and nine individuals not on an advancing team will be determined. That is followed by a final day of 18 holes of stroke play on Monday, May 26 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 27, followed by finals on Wednesday, May 28.
The Lineup with Collegiate Rankings
ASU's lineup consists of 2024 U.S. Amateur champion and three-time All-American senior Josele Ballseter (ranked ninth by Clippd), junior Michael Mjaaseth (28th), sophomore Connor Williams (35th), freshman Peer Wernicke (95th), sophomore alternate Fifa Laopakdee (65th) and senior Preston Summerhays (68th).
Recently
The Sun Devils tied for third at the 2021 NCAA Championship officially by reaching the semifinals of match play. It marked ASU's best finish since its won the 1996 title. It then came back in 2022 and lost to Texas in the title match, before falling in match play in 2023.
Special 1990
Arizona State in 1990 is the only program to have its men's and women's teams win the NCAA golf championships in the same season, and that will remain the case as Northwestern won the 2025 women's title but its men didn't make the championship.
Not Easy To Make It
Nine top-30 teams didn't make the trip to the NCAA Championships this year, as LSU (6), North Carolina (10), San Diego State (15), Alabama (16), Utah (17), Duke (21), SMU (24), Long Beach State (26) and Louisville (27) all will be staying home after not making the top five at regionals. Last year nine top-30 teams didn't advance, including five top-10 teams, as third-ranked ASU, Ole Miss (7), Arkansas (8), Alabama (9), Washington (10), Georgia (20), Oregon (24), Duke (25) and Northwestern (28) all didn't make the regional cut.
Two Titles
The Sun Devil men won NCAA titles in 1990 (head coach Steve Loy) and 1996 (head coach Randy Lein).
Sun Devil NCAA Champions
Alejandro Canizares, 2003
Todd Demsey, 1993
Phil Mickelson, 1992
Phil Mickelson, 1990
Phil Mickelson, 1989
Jim Carter, 1983
Most NCAA Individual Men's Golf Champions
Yale, 13
Oklahoma State, 9
Harvard, 8
Houston, 8
Princeton, 7
Arizona State, 6
Texas, 6
History
Sun Devil freshman Jon Rahm's 9-under 61 in the first round of the 2013 NCAA Tournament is the second-best round in NCAA history, second only to the 10-under 60 by Michael Schachner of Duke in the third round in 2007.
Coach Thurmond Notes
Sun Devil sixth-year head coach Matt Thurmond coached James Lepp to the 2005 NCAA individual title, while also tutoring Cheng-Tsuung Pan (2015) and Nick Taylor (2008) to second-place NCAA finishes during his 15-year Washington tenure. Coach Thurmond also led UW to match-play quarterfinals in 2009, 2010 and 2012 and to six top-20 finishes prior to match play. He led UW to 12 top-20 NCAA finishes overall in 15 seasons, including third-place in 2005. ASU finished 16th in his first year wearing the maroon and gold, finished 13th in 2018 and 16th in 2019. In 2021 ASU posted the best stroke-play score and topped North Carolina before falling to Oklahoma in match play.
MATT THURMOND AT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
2025: TBD
2024: DNC
2023: T-5th (0-1 match play)
2022: 2nd (2-1 match play)
2021: T3rd (1-1 match play)
2020: COVID
2019: 16th
2018: T-13th
2017: 16th (first year at ASU)
2015: 15th
2014: 15th
2013: 16th
2012: 6th (match play quarterfinals)
2011: DNC
2010: 4th (match play quarterfinals)
2009: 3rd (match play quarterfinals)
2008: 7th
2007: DNC
2006: 9th
2005: 3rd
2004: 6th
2003: 11th
2002: 11th
OMNI LA COSTA RESORT AND SPA (NORTH COURSE)
PAR 72/7,480 YARDS
CARLSBAD, CA
TEAM LEADERBOARD
RANKING IN PARENTHESES
Arizona State (5) 286-277=563/-13
Oklahoma (6) 280-286=566/-10
Auburn (1) 286-282=568/-8
Florida (7) 285-286=571/-5
Florida State (9) 285-290=575/-1
Texas (4) 285-291=576/E
Oklahoma State (2) 293-285=578/+2
Ole Miss (3) 293-287=580/+4
---- TOP EIGHT CUT LINE AFTER FOURTH ROUND MONDAY ---
Illinois (12) 288-297=583/+7
California (49) 289-295=584/+8
Virginia (10) 299-287=586/+10
Pepperdine (21) 293-294=587/+11
Colorado (29) 289-298=587/+11
Georgia Tech (26) 293-294=587/+11
---- TOP 15 CUT LINE AFTER THIRD ROUND SUNDAY ---
Vanderbilt (16) 294-294=588/+12
Wake Forest (40) 296-292=588/+12
Texas A&M (11) 297-291=588/+12
BYU (19) 289-300=589/+13
Texas Tech (24) 292-298=590/+20
South Carolina (20) 302-293=595/+19
Georgia (22) 291-306=597/+21
UCLA (14) 301-297=598/+22
UNLV (31) 299-399=599/+23
Troy (46) 292-308=600/+24
Tennessee (23) 304-296=600/+24
Purdue (36) 307-294=601/+25
South Florida (27) 293-309=602/+26
New Mexico (42) 297-305=602/+26
Augusta 295-310=605/+29
San Diego (39) 294-316=610/+34
INDIVIDUAL LEADER/SUN DEVILS
T1. Connor Williams, ASU 68-67=135/-9
T1. Michael La Sasso, Ole Miss 66-67=135/-9
T5. Josele Ballester, ASU 70-70=140/-4
T25. Peer Wernicke, ASU 74-70=144/E
T25. Preston Summerhays, ASU 74-70=144/E
T64. Michael Mjaaseth, ASU 77-71=148/+4