NCAA golf regional action is never easy and times can be nauseating and vomit-inducing as a whole season prior becomes irrelevant and 54 holes decides who moves on, but the No. 11 Sun Devil men's golf team punched its ticket to the NCAA Championships on Wednesday with a seven-stroke cushion led by a freshman who stepped up big time as one of just nine swingers in the 75-player field to shoot par or better on final day.
The Sun Devils finished fourth in the 13-team NCAA Columbus Regional with a 30-over 882 (294-289-299), as senior Michael Mjaaseth tied for seventh at 4-over 217 (72-71-74).
The key for the Sun Devils on the final day -- which was delayed due to weather and then played in tough conditions -- was freshman Boston Bracken. After shooting 7-over in the first two rounds (74-75) with three birdies and 10 bogeys, his even-par 71 with three birdies and just three bogeys allowed ASU to advance to the NCAA Championships for the eighth time in nine tries under Matt Thurmond.
No. 2 Florida finished at even-par 852 to lead the field, with No. 13 Stanford (876/+24), Memphis (877/+25) and No. 25 Florida State (883/+29) also qualifying. No. 23 Long Beach State was the highest ranked team to not advance.
Words from the NCAA
The 2026 Men’s Golf Championship features 81 teams and 45 individuals beginning in regional competition. Teams are split into six different regionals, with regional play happening May 18-20. The low five teams and low individual from each region will qualify for a spot in the championship finals. Thirty teams and six individuals in total will compete in the finals from Friday, May 29, to Wednesday, June 3, at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California.
NCAA Columbus Regional
May 18-20
Ohio State Golf Course
Par 71 (284)/7,442 Yards
Teams (NCAA Ranking)
Florida (2) 277-284-291=852/E
Stanford (14) 290-291-295=876/+24
Memphis 289-288-300=877/+25
Arizona State (11) 294-289-299=882/+30
Florida State (25) 290-299-294=883/+31
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Utah (35) 300-303-286=889/+37
Long Beach State (23) 298-290-302=890/+38
California (48) 296-300-295=891/+39
Oregon 300-294-299=893/+41
Illinois State 293-297-305=895/+43
USF 300-298-297=895/+43
South Carolina (38) 298-301-301=900/+48
Wright State 296-305-309=910/+58
Top Individual/Sun Devils
1. Luke Poulter, Florida 71-70-72=213/E
T7. Michael Mjaaseth, ASU 72-71-71=214/+1
T17. Boston Bracken, ASU 74-75-71=220/+7
T27. Connor Williams, ASU 74-73-76=223/+10
T45. Bowen Mauss, ASU 74-74-79=227/+14
T51. FIfa Laopakdee, ASU 79-71-78=228/+15
Not easy to make it
Seven top-30 teams won’t make the trip to the NCAA Championships in 2026, as Texas Tech (7), Illinois (12), Charlotte (19), Alabama (20), New Mexico (21), Georgia Tech (22) and Long Beach State (23) did not make the field.
Nine top-30 teams didn't make the trip to the NCAA Championships in 2025, 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 stayed home.
In 2024, 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. ASU had avoided that since 2014, prior to 2024.
Sun Devil NCAA Regional finishes under Coach Thurmond
2026: 4th/Columbus, Ohio
2025: 2nd/Bremerton, Washington
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's regional note
Coach Thurmond has reached the NCAA Championship in eight of nine chances at ASU. Since becoming a head coach in 2002, his squads have made the NCAA Championship in 20 of his 24 chances, missing only in 2024, 2016, 2011 and 2007.
Sun Devil Men's Golf regional finishes
2026: 4th/Columbus, Ohio
2025: 2nd/Bremerton, Washington
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
MM notes
Michael Mjaaseth has now posted 16 top-10 finishes...a first-team All-Big 12 selection in 2026...has eight top-five finishes in his career.
Michael Mjaaseth Sun Devil career top-10 finishes (16)
T1: 2024 Papago Individual (Sept. 16-17)
T1: 2022 Maui Jim Individual (Sept. 9-10)
3: 2026 Amer Ari Invitational (Feb. 5-7)
T3: 2025 Big 12 Championship (April 22-24)
T4. 2025 Sahalee Players Championship (Sept. 6-7)
4: 2025 Maridoe Intercollegiate (March 31- April 1)
T5: 2025 Cabo Collegiate (March 2-4)
T5: 2024 Thunderbird Collegiate (April 12-13)
T6: 2022 East Lake Cup (Oct. 24-26)
T7: 2026 NCAA Columbus Regional (May 18-20)
T7: 2026 Desimone Invitational (March 9-10)
T8: 2025 The Wohali (Sept. 15-16)
8: 2025 Thunderbird Collegiate (April 11-12)
T9: 2026 Thunderbird Collegiate (April 10-11)
T9: 2025 NCAA Bremerton Regional (May 12-14)
T9: 2023 Las Vegas Regional (May 15-17)
Round one notes
The Sun Devil Men's Golf team had a strong back nine and is sixth after the first 18 holes of the NCAA Columbus Regional held Monday morning...ASU shot 10-over 294 on the strength of the back nine, as it had eight birdies on the back nine after having only one on the front of a trek that averaged 74.33 strokes in the 75-player field...Florida ran away with the first-round lead at 7-under 277, but only five strokes separate the next nine teams...senior Michael Mjaaseth bogied three of the first five holes, but settled the swing with a birdie and 12 pars on the final 13 holes...Connor Williams was 5-over through eight, but rallied with three birdies on the back nine.
Round two notes
Connor Williams was 5-over through eight after the first round, but rallied with three birdies on the back nine, and then shot 2-over 73 as he is tied for 20th on Tuesday...Fifa Laopakdee came through strong, as after an eight-over 79 in round one with no birdies he came back with even-par 71 on Tuesday.