Olympia Fields, IL. – Sun Devil Men’s Golf won its 30th team title under head coach Matt Thurmond by shooting 40-under (800) over three days, leading wire-to-wire for the first victory of the year. Senior Connor Williams earned a share of the men’s title by making an eagle on the 72nd hole, finishing 13-under (197) for the tournament Saturday at Olympia Fields Country Club.
The Sun Devils won the team title for the second time in the tournament's history, the first since 2009. In addition, Arizona State tied the lowest three-round tournament score in program history at 40-under (800), a mark set at the 2022 Maui Jim Intercollegiate - which is also a Fighting Illini Invite record. ASU had three individuals in the top-10 (Williams, Couilleau and Bracken).
Williams set the tournament record with the lowest 54-hole score at 197 (-13) with three other individuals. It’s Williams’ 13th career top-10 in his ASU career and the second straight season he’s finished in the top-10 at Olympia Fields. To add, the Sun Devils opened the tournament with the second-best team round shooting 18-under (262) which gave the Maroon and Gold the early lead.
Arizona State beat a stacked tournament field, coming out on top over top-ranked Florida, No. 2 Oklahoma State, No. 5 Texas Tech, No. 12 Illinois, No. 18 Alabama, No. 19 Stanford.
Freshman Oscar Couilleau earned his first top-10 finish of his collegiate career, he opened the weekend with a 62 (-8), which is tied for the third lowest round in program history that included two eagles in the first round and set a tournament record. Couilleau closed his final round with two birdies to finish -10 (200).
Sophomore Boston Bracken tied for sixth with Couilleau at 10-under (200), in the second round he had a flawless second-nine, shooting 28 (-7) where he finished with five straight birdies, and birdies seven of the last nine holes. Bracken went bogey-free in his final 14 holes, finishing with a birdie on the last to shoot a 67 (-3). It’s his third career top-10 finish.
Senior Fifa Laopakee finished tied for 31st at -5 (205) and junior Peer Wernicke was 2-under (208) which was tied for 51st over the weekend.
Leaders and Sun Devil Scores:
T1. Connor Williams - 63-68-66 =-13
T1. Ben Gregg - 65-64-68 = -13 (Texas Tech)
T1. Max Herendeen - 66-64-67 = -13 (Illinois)
T1. Max Emberson - 63-69-65 = -13 (Georgia Tech)
T6. Oscar Couilleau - 62-68-66 = -10
T6. Boston Bracken - 68-65-67 = -10
T31. Fifa Laopakee - 69-68-68 = -5
T51. Peer Wenicke - 71-67-70 = -2
Fighting Illini Invitational
Olympia Fields Country Club - South.
Par 70/7,215 Yards
Sept. 18-19
1. Arizona State - 262-268-270/-40-800
2. Illinois - 266-268-268/-38-802
3. Texas Tech - 273-262-268/-37-803
4. Alabama - 268-274-268/-30-810
T5. Oklahoma State - 274-266-273/-27-813
T5. Florida - 274-273-266/-27-813
7. Stanford - 272-275-270/-23-817
8. Georgia Tech - 265-276-277/-22
T9. Pepperdine - 274-273-272/-21-819
T9. LSU - 277-273-269/-21-819
11. UNLV - 278-268-275/-19-821
12. Northwestern - 277-274-272/-17-823
13. Texas A&M - 274-272-281/-13-827
14. Florida State - 280-274-281/-5-835
15. Baylor - 287-282-282/+11-851
BEST TEAM ROUNDS BY SCORE (1993-94 TO PRESENT)
2022 Maui Jim Intercollegiate -- 257 in second round
2026 Fighting Illini Invitational -- 262 in First Round
2023 NCAA Las Vegas Regional -- 262 in First round
2019 Maui Jim Intercollegiate -- 262 in first round
2019 National Invitational Tournament -- 263 in second round
2025 Amer Ari Invitational -- 264 in first round
2026 Amer Ari Invitational -- 265 in first round
2024 Amer Ari Invitational -- 265 in first round
TEAM LOW THREE-ROUND TOURNAMENT SCORE (1993-94 TO PRESENT)
800/-40, 2022 Maui Jim Intercollegiate
800/-40, 2026 Fighting Illini Invitaitonal
801/-63, 2024 Amer Ari Invitational
802/-38, 2019 Maui Jim Intercollegiate
805/-59, 2023 NCAA Regional, Las Vegas
806/-58, 2026 Amer Ari Invitational
True Spec and Sun Devil men's golf are being innovative
True Spec Golf, the global leader in custom club fitting and club building, announced that they have partnered with Sun Devil Men’s Golf for the 2026-2027 season. The deal, which includes True Spec’s full range of custom club fitting services, as well as a substantial NIL contribution, is the first partnership of its kind. In addition to the Tour-level club fitting experience True Spec provides, every player on the Sun Devil men’s roster will receive ongoing tune-ups for loft and lie, gap analysis and regripping. As a business headquartered in Scottsdale, True Spec will also support their hometown university golf program with a meaningful NIL contribution that will be used to compensate participating ASU student-athletes.