ASU sits in second at 6-under 858 (286-277-295), led by sophomore Connor Williams who cooled down on Sunday with a 3-over 75, but remains in third at 6-under 210 (68-67-75), as Michael La Sasso of Ole Miss leads the way with 11-under 205 (68-67-70).
When play starts Monday, ASU will be 18 shots ahead of three teams tied for seventh, as the top eight teams move onto match play on Monday for both quarterfinal and semifinal matches Tuesday.
ASU will turn around and tee Monday starting at 12:21 p.m.
Sparky Notes
- This is the first time Arizona State will be in the final group on the last day of stroke play since 2021, when they were in third place and ascended into first place with a strong finish.
- Arizona State is looking to advance to match play for the fourth time under Matt Thurmond. They are a combined 3-3 in match play since Thurmond took over in 2017. ASU has appeared in match play five times since the format was put in place back in 2009.
- Three Sun Devils currently sit in the top-5, including Connor Williams (T3rd) and Josele Ballester (T10th) in the top-15. Matt Thurmond has had four top-10 finishers at the NCAA Championship since taking over at Arizona State prior to the 2016-17 season.
- Cameron Sisk, 2022 (T5th)
- Ryggs Johnston, 2021 (3rd)
- Cameron Sisk, 2021 (T8th)
- Chun An Yu, 2019 (3rd)
- Arizona State has the lowest scoring average on par three holes (3.12). They also have the second-lowest scoring average on par five opportunities (4.75), going 15-under on those holes.
- Connor Williams birdied the sixth hole for the third consecutive day. His 12 birdies put him Top-10 in the field in the category.
- Connor Williams' par-five scoring average of 4.33 (8-under) is tied for the best in the field.
"In a four-round tournament, there are all types of days. Yesterday, we had a round where it all worked out. We only had six bogeys on counting scorecards. Today, it seemed like we were snake-bitten from the very start. Preston (Summerhays) hitting the flag stick, a couple of balls plugging, things that you avoid when things are going well. It was harder to get through it all today, but I thought we hung in there."
On facing a tougher course today
"They dealt with some tricky pin placements on the high birdie holes. It is only going to continue to get tougher too. We did a great job of when adversity hit, which at some point we knew it would, we responded well. It has put us in a great spot after three days. It is important for us to stay aggressive tomorrow and continue trying to improve our positioning."
Not Easy To Make the 15-Team Cut
Seven top-30 teams didn't make the 15-team cut as Illinois (12), UCLA (14), South Carolina (20), Georgia (22), Tennessee (23), South Florida (27) and Colorado (29) are headed home, with Georgia Tech (26) competing in a playoff Monday morning for the final tee time.
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.
TV Information
The final round of stroke play will tee off at 10:30 a.m. PST on Memorial Day, with the individual national champion crowned at the conclusion of play. In addition the top eight teams will advance to match play, with the team national champion determined by a match-play format that will consist of quarterfinals and semifinals conducted on Tuesday, May 27, followed by the finals on Wednesday, May 28. GOLF Channel will begin its live coverage of the championship on Monday, broadcasting play from 3-7 p.m. AZT/PT.
About Coach Thurmond
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 consisted of three days of stroke play on Friday, May 23 through Sunday, May 25 (54 holes), and now the top 15 teams and nine individuals not on an advancing team advance to a final 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.
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 Jon Rahm's 9-under 61in 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, and remains the best by a freshman.
Coach Thurmond Notes
Sun Devil ninth-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. In 2022 it fell to Texas in the championship.
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 (PAR 864 THROUGH THREE ROUNDS)
RANKING IN PARENTHESES
Auburn (1) 286-282-282=854/-10
Arizona State (5) 286-277-295=858/-6
Oklahoma (6) 280-286-295=861/-3
Florida (7) 285-286-292=863/-1
Oklahoma State (2) 293-285-291=869/+5
Texas (4) 285-291-293=869/+5
Florida State (9) 285-290-298=873/+9
Texas Tech (24) 292-298-286=876/+12
Ole Miss (3) 293-287-296=876/+12
Texas A&M (11) 297-291-288=876/+12
---- TOP EIGHT CUT LINE AFTER FOURTH ROUND MONDAY ---
Virginia (10) 299-287-291=877/+13
BYU (19) 289-300-289=878/+14
Pepperdine (21) 293-294-292=879/+15
Vanderbilt (16) 294-294-291=879/+15
--- IN PLAYOFF FOR FINAL SPOT MONDAY MORNING---
Wake Forest (40) 296-292-293=881/+17
Georgia Tech (26) 293-294-294=881/+17
--- DID NOT MAKE THE 15-TEAM CUT AFTER THIRD ROUND SUNDAY ---
California (49) 289-295-300=884/+20
Illinois (12) 288-297-304=887/+23
South Carolina (20) 302-293-295=890/+26
UCLA (14) 301-297-296=894/+30
Tennessee (23) 304-296-294=894/+30
Georgia (22) 291-306-298=895/+31
UNLV (31) 299-399-297=896/+32
Colorado (29) 289-298-309=896/+32
South Florida (27) 293-309-295=897/+33
New Mexico (42) 297-305-298=900/+36
Purdue (36) 307-294-300=901/+37
Augusta 295-310-298=903/+39
Troy (46) 292-308-306=906/+42
San Diego (39) 294-316-309=919/+51
INDIVIDUAL LEADER/SUN DEVILS
1. Michael La Sasso, Ole Miss 66-67=205/-11
3. Connor Williams, ASU 68-67-75=210/-6
T10. Josele Ballester, ASU 70-70-74=214/-2
T22. Preston Summerhays, ASU 74-70-73=217/+1
T57. Michael Mjaaseth, ASU 77-71-73=221/+5
T64. Peer Wernicke, ASU 74-70-78=222/+6