No. 3 Ole Miss topped the fifth-ranked Sun Devils 3-2, with sophmores Fifa Laopakdee (4 & 3 over Cameron Tankersley) and Connor Williams (3 & 2 over Cohen Trolio) getting Sun Devil wins.
Junior Michael Mjaaseth fell in 21 holes to Tom Fischer despite a 40-yard fairway chip that found the hole on 19, but Fischer answered with a 20-foot birdie putt to halve the hole. The two traded pars on their 20th hole, then Mjaaseth's drive on their 21st found the rough, as did his second shot. Fischer nearly made a 30-footer for birdie to end the match outright but settled for par as Mjaaseth narrowly missed a par putt.
Sun Devil Men's Golf Head Coach Matt Thurmond
On the emotions he is experiencing
"It is a little different every year when it ends. I am still processing what just happened. First of all, I feel bad for Mike (Michael Mjaaseth). He is taking it hard and that is difficult to see. I am glad that the team is there for him. It makes me really proud of who and what we are. The focus is on the losing, but there was an incredible amount of winning this year, this week, this postseason, and today. To have a group of guys that play so hard, care about each other, and represent their school. That is winning too. Whenever you are this good and get to this position, whoever's season ends, they are devastated."
On his reflections on the season
"It was a great season for us. We were good enough to be the number one team after 72 holes. The match play deal, it is a bit of a crapshoot as we saw. I am really proud of our guys. I am disappointed they can't keep playing, because they deserve to. That is kind of how it goes. You just don't know. Sports don't work that way."
On the program's mindset moving forward
"These guys have done an incredible job this week of doing the one thing we asked. Just be completely here, and they were, until the very end. We are going to have one more team meeting together, but immediately their brain, my brain, and everyone else's brain moves away from right here right now to what are we doing next week. We got Europeans with flights home soon. Preston (Summerhays) and Josele (Ballester) have professional events right around the corner. Thomas (Sutton) has a 20-week appointment with his wife for their future baby. I have a family trip. Everything just moves quickly. That is the great thing about golf, there is always another round and another opportunity. It is a whole year until the next NCAA Championship, but these guys step into something big immediately. This offseason will be important for our the guys coming back to continue developing."
INDIVIDUAL MATCHUPS
Kyle Meeks, Ole Miss def. Josele Ballester, ASU 2 & 1
Fifa Laopakdee, ASU def. Cameron Tankersley, Ole Miss 4 & 3
Connor Williams, ASU def. Cohen Trolio, Ole Miss, 3 &2
Tom Fischer, Ole Miss def. Michael Mjaaseth, ASU 21 holes
Michael La Sasso, Ole Miss def. Preston Summerhays, ASU 6 & 5
Match Play Note
The Sun Devils are one of just two teams to reach NCAA match play in four of the past five seasons (2025, 2023, 2022 and 2021), as it joined North Carolina this year (2021-24).
The Lineup with Collegiate Rankings
ASU's lineup consisted 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 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.
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: T-5th (0-1 match play)
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