Sophomore Connor Williams led the way with a 4-under 68 that included the only eagle on the tenth hole, while Josele Ballester is tied for 16th at 2-under 70.
ASU will turn around and tee early Saturday (6:52 a.m.) at the at the Omni La Costa Resort and Spa (North Course). 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.
Head Coach Matt Thurmond Quotes
On the team's first NCAA Championship round at Omni La Costa
"I thought we played great. Connor (Williams) was exceptional. He got hot early by making a couple birdies and got it to five-under at one point and finished four under. The front nine typically plays a little easier here with the back nine being the easier holes. We did make our share of bogeys on the back nine, but I thought we played the back nine really well. Especially after starting off a little bit slow. All in all, I am really excited about the day. It is a great start. We are right where we need to be."
Sophomore Connor Williams (-4/68; tied for fifth) Quotes
On playing a course he is familiar with
"It was awesome. I have played a lot of rounds here as a kid at La Costa through Junior golf tournaments in San Diego. They redesigned the course a little while ago and it is definitely different, but has the same vibe. I still felt really comfortable out there from the first tee and had a nice flow to my round today."
On his eagle on 10 (only golfer to eagle No. 10)
"The wind was a little in off the right. I hit a really good drive to kind of keep it right-center up against the wind. I hit a three-wood to about 16 feet – a really good shot that landed just short – then I was able to roll in the putt. That was some good momentum."
On how he feels about his game right now
"I am really happy with my game right now. The last couple of events have been good. I have played in some really good events back home and some strong qualifying rounds that has given me a lot of confidence heading into these events. Knowing that I can compete with the best. Just trying to keep my mental side in check and things will work out."
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
Oklahoma (6) 280/-8
Florida State (9) 285/-3
Florida (7) 285/-3
Texas (4) 285/-3
Arizona State (5) 286/-2
Auburn (1) 286/-2
BYU (19) 287/-1
Illinois (12) 288/E
---- TOP EIGHT CUT LINE AFTER FOURTH ROUND MONDAY ---
Colorado (29) 289/+1
California (49) 289/+1
Georgia (22) 291/+3
Vanderbilt (16) 291/+3
Texas Tech (24) 292/+4
Troy (46) 292/+4
Oklahoma State (2) 293/+5
---- TOP 15 CUT LINE AFTER THIRD ROUND SUNDAY ---
South Florida (27) 293/+5
Georgia Tech (26) 293/+5
Ole Miss (3) 293/+5
Pepperdine (21) 293/+5
San Diego (39) 294/+6
Augusta 295/+7
Wake Forest (40) 296/+8
Texas A&M (11)
New Mexico (42) 297/+9
UNLV (31) 299/+11
Virginia (10) 299/+11
UCLA (14) 301/+13
South Carolina (20) 302/+14
Tennessee (23) 304/+16
Purdue (36) 307/+19
INDIVIDUAL LEADER/SUN DEVILS
1. Phichaksn Maichon, Texas A&M 66/-6
T5. Connor Williams, ASU 68/-4
T16. Josele Ballester, ASU 70/-2
T63. Peer Wernicke, ASU 74/+2
T63. Preston Summerhays, ASU 74/+2
120. Michael Mjaaseth, ASU 77/+5