April 19, 2000
KARSTEN TO HOST PAC-10 CHAMPIONSHIPS: The Arizona State men's golf team plays host on April 24-26 to the 41st annual Pac-10 Men's Golf Championships at ASU's Karsten Golf Course (par-72, 7,026 yards). The 10 teams will play 36 holes on Monday (April 24) followed by 18 holes on Tuesday (April 25) and Wednesday (April 26). Play begins at 7:30 a.m. on Monday. ASU's lineup will be junior All-American and two-time defending Pac-10 champion Paul Casey, sophomore Matt Jones, junior All-American Jeff Quinney, junior Jin Park, senior Jonas Runnquist and redshirt freshman Shane McMenamy, as in the Pac-10 Championship six-man teams are used. Dating to last year, Casey is 58-under-par in his past 38 rounds and is coming off a 9-under 207 (69-69-69) at the ASU Thunderbird/SAVANE Invitational last weekend. Casey earned medalist honors, his fifth career win, in leading ASU to a two-shot victory over Arizona. Nine Pac-10 teams were in the field, with only Stanford not playing. ASU has now won three of its past four tournaments.
1999 PAC-10 REVIEW: Arizona State led from start to finish at the Broadmoor Golf Club in Seattle on April 26-28, 1999, to claim its fifth straight Pac-10 title with a 21-stroke victory over UCLA. Individually, Paul Casey's collegiate-record 60 and his Pac-10 record-low score of 265 (67-66-72-60) highlighted the event, as only three players broke par in the event. ASU's 1,403 total (3-over-par) was a Pac-10 record and Casey became just the second Pac-10 golfer to win back-to-back league titles (Jason Gore of Arizona in 1993-94). ASU has won a conference-record five straight Pac-10 titles and 10 overall (1979, 1981, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999). It has won the title six of the past seven years.
In 1998, ASU won its fourth straight Pac-10 title with an 11-shot victory over UCLA at Orinda, Calif. Then-freshman Paul Casey shot a 5-under-par 283 (76-73-68-66) to earn medalist honors. Jin Park posted his collegiate-best tournament (tied for fourth) with a 2-under 286 (72-72-66-76).
LAST WEEKEND: ASU won the 2000 Thunderbird/SAVANE Invitational and now has won the tournament nine of the past 12 years. ASU has won the Thunderbird 10 times (1984, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999 and 2000). Seven Sun Devils have won individual titles: Mark Sollenberger (1974), Jim Carter (1984), Phil Mickelson (1991 and 1992), Larry Barber (1994), Todd Demsey (1995), Jeff Quinney (1999) and Paul Casey (2000).
RESULTS: Pac-10 results can be obtained by calling Info-Connection at (800) 300-2050, passcode 72210 and document number 1681. Please note that with 36 holes played on Monday, results will probably not be posted until later in the evening. The finish will be earlier for Tuesday and Wednesday, and results hopefully will be posted by 4 p.m. MST/PT. For specific fax requests, please contact Doug Tammaro at the ASU media relations office at 480-965-5799.
DEVIL DATA: ASU's 12 straight NCAA top-10 finishes is the nation's best current mark...ASU also is the only team to finish in the top five at the NCAAs in each of the past five years...ASU has won the Pac-10 title the past five years (a conference record) and in six of the past seven years...ASU won national championships in 1990 and 1996...ASU is led by eighth-year head coach Randy Lein, the 1996 National Coach of the Year and a six-time winner of Pac-10 Coach of the Year (four times at ASU and twice at USC).
SUN DEVILS AS PAC-10 CHAMPS: A list of Sun Devils who have won Pac-10 individual titles (year and score noted): Scott Watkins and Dan Croonquist in 1979 (277), Jim Bertoncino in 1980 (280), Dan Forsman and Tony Grimes in 1981 (283), Phil Mickelson in 1990 (278), Scott Johnson in 1997 (278), and Paul Casey in 1998 (283) and in 1999 (265).
RANDY LEIN: Randy Lein has coached 52 tournament victories in 18 seasons, tutored 38 All-Americans and added the top accolade in collegiate golf in 1995-96 - the NCAA title - to his collection of honors as the Sun Devils won the title in Chattanooga, Tenn., with a three-stroke victory over UNLV at the Honors Course. In his eighth season as ASU's coach, Lein has guided ASU to 29 tournament victories (including a school record six in 1995-96), six Pac-10 titles, three NCAA West Regional wins and seven top-10 finishes at the NCAAs including the 1996 title. In addition, Lein has tutored NCAA medalist Todd Demsey and nine All-Americans (18 occasions): Todd Demsey (3), Chris Hanell (3), Cade Stone, Chris Stutts, Joey Snyder (2), Scott Johnson (2), Darren Angel (2), Jeff Quinney (2) and Paul Casey (2). He has won Pac-10 Coach-of-the-Year four times (1993, 1995, 1996 and 1999) while at ASU and twice at USC (1980 and 1986). Lein (pronounced ?Line?) is a 1975 graduate of CS Northridge.
NOTES ON CASEY'S 60 (APRIL 28, 1999): No other score lower than Tiger Woods' 61 in the 1996 Pac-10 Championship has been recorded...shot 29-31, including a string of six straight birdies on the front side (holes 3-8), but then bogeyed No. 9. He then had five birdies on the back nine...birdied four of the five par-3s...was eight strokes back of Stanford's Joel Kribel on the final day but came back and won by two strokes for his second straight Pac-10 title...the round broke the Broadmoor Golf Club (Seattle, Wash.) record of 61 (non-competitive round) held by Bob Carlson, and broke the competitive record of 62 held by Byron Nelson at the 1945 Seattle Open...only three other players in the 60-man Pac-10 Tournament broke par in the tournament.
ON THE CHARTS: Paul Casey has already captured five tournament championships in his 31-tournament career. Casey won the 2000 ASU Thunderbird/SAVANE Invitational, the 1998 NCAA West Regional, the 1998 and 1999 Pac-10 Championships and the 1998 USC/Cleveland Golf Southwestern Classic. A look at Casey on the ASU career wins list:
| Rk. | Name (Years) | Wins |
| 1. | Phil Mickelson (1989-92) | 16 |
| 2. | Billy Mayfair (1985-88) | 8 |
| 3. | Charlie Gibson (1972-75) | 6 |
| 4t. | Paul Casey (1997-present) | 5 |
| 4t. | Todd Demsey (1992-95) | 5 |
| 6. | Howard Twitty (1970-72) | 4 |
| Scott Watkins (1978-79) | 4 | |
| Dan Croonquist (1976-79) | 4 | |
| 9. | Jim Carter (1981-84) | 3 |
JUNIOR ALL-AMERICAN PAUL CASEY: A two-time second-team All-American and two-time defending Pac-10 champion...1999 English Amateur Champion...won the 2000 ASU Thunderbird/SAVANE Invitational with a 9-under 207 (69-69-69), his fifth career win...has 11 rounds in the 60s this year (out of 21)...dating to last year, Casey is 58-under in his past 38 rounds...has at least a third-place finish in four of his past five tournaments...is 32-under-par in 21 rounds this year...shot an NCAA record 60 on the final day of the 1999 Pac-10 Championships (April 28)... also medalist at 1998 and 1999 Pac-10 Championships, 1998 Cleveland Golf Southwestern Invitational and 1998 NCAA West Regional.
| Year | App | Top 10 | Rds. | Avg. | Low |
| 1999-00 | 7 | 5 | 21 | 70.00 | 65 |
| 1998-99 | 12 | 7 | 37 | 72.16 | 60 |
| 1997-98 | 12 | 5 | 37 | 72.30 | 65 |
| Career | 31 | 17 | 95 | 71.74 | 60 |
Low Round: 60 at the 1999 Pac-10 Championships, held in Seattle, in the fourth and final round.
3-PEAT: Paul Casey has a chance to continue to put his name in the record books. Casey has won back-to-back Pac-10 crowns in his first two seasons. A look at others who have won three conference crowns, and note that it has only been done once since 1985:
| Player | School | Conf. | Years (Titles) |
| Justin Leonard | Texas | SWC | 1991-94 (4)* |
| Pat Fogarty | St. John's | BIG EAST | 1982-84 (3) |
| Tim Graham | McNeese St. | Southland | 1977-79 (3) |
| Lindy Miller | Oklahoma St. | Big 8 | 1976-78 (3) |
| Ken Ezell | Furman | Southern | 1975-77 (3) |
| John Davis | La.-Lafayette | Southland | 1974-76 (3)* |
| B.R. McLendon | LSU | SEC | 1965-67 (3) |
| Sherman Finger | USC | Pac-8 | 1964-66 (3) |
| John Konsek | Ohio St. | Big 10 | 1958-60 (3) |
| Fred Wampler | Purdue | Big 10 | 1948-50 (3) |
| Ed White | Texas | SWC | 1933-35 (3) |
*Leonard shared 1992 title with Jason Hill of Texas Tech.
*Davis shared 1975 title with Scott Morgan of La. Tech.
CAPTAIN COMEBACK: Paul Casey has posted incredible comebacks to win the past two Pac-10 titles. In 1998, Casey shot 5-under 283 (76-73-68-66) to top Dan Arroyo of Cal and Joel Kribel of Stanford by two strokes. Last year, Kribel had an eight-stroke advantage after three rounds, but that was when Casey fired his 60 while Kribel fired a par-70. Casey improved his score by 12 strokes from the third round to the fourth and final round. Casey was down by seven strokes in 1998 after the first round to Kribel and was down 13 strokes after the second round to Dan Arroyo of host California. After the third round, Casey was at 217 while Arroyo had the lead at 208 with Kribel at 209. However, Casey fired a 66 while Arroyo shot a 77 and Kribel a 76, earning Casey his first Pac-10 title.
1999 Pac-10 Championship (Seattle, Wash.)
| Player/School | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
| Paul Casey/ASU | 67 | 66 | 72 | 60 | 265 | |
| Joel Kribel/Stanford | 70 | 64 | 63 | 70 | 267 | |
| 1998 Pac-10 Championship (Orinda, Calif.) | ||||||
| Player/School | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
| Paul Casey/ASU | 76 | 73 | 68 | 66 | 283 | |
| Dan Arroyo/Cal | 71 | 65 | 72 | 77 | 285 | |
| Joel Kribel/Stanford | 69 | 70 | 70 | 76 | 285 |
SOPHOMORE MATT JONES: Has been in the top 10 in two of his past four tournaments...four of his past nine rounds have been in the 60s...improved his score each day at the 1999 NCAA Championships (79-78-76-73)...tied for 10th this past summer at Porter Cup but equaled tournament record with 62 in opening round...has nine rounds in the 60s in brief career.
| Year | App | Top 10 | Rds. | Avg. | Low | |
| 1999-00 | 9 | 3 | 27 | 71.81 | 67 | |
| 1998-99 | 8 | 2 | 26 | 73.38 | 68 | |
| Career | 17 | 5 | 53 | 72.58 | 67 |
Low Round: 67 at the 1999 Ping Preview, held in Opelika, Ala., in the third and final round.
JUNIOR ALL-AMERICAN JEFF QUINNEY: Has four top-10 finishes this year...tied for eighth at the 2000 ASU Thunderbird/SAVANE Invitational with a 4-under 212 (68-73-71)...tied for third at USC Southwestern Classic with a 2-under 214 (74-70-70)...medalist at 1999 West Regional and ASU Thunder/SAVANE Invitational...best round this year was a 66 in the first round of the Jerry Pate Intercollegiate.
| Year | App | Top 10 | Rds. | Avg. | Low | |
| 1999-00 | 10 | 4 | 30 | 72.50 | 66 | |
| 1998-99 | 13 | 5 | 40 | 72.50 | 62 | |
| 1997-98 | 11 | 3 | 35 | 72.57 | 68 | |
| Career | 34 | 12 | 105 | 72.52 | 62 |
Low Round: 62 at the 1999 ASU Thunderbird/SAVANE Invitational, held in Tempe, in the third and final round.
JUNIOR JIN PARK: Had a 9-under-par 207 (71-68-68) at the Golf World Invitational and tied for seventh....has three top-10 finishes in his career...best career finish was a tie for fourth at 1998 Pac-10 Championships with a 2-under 286 (72-72-66-76).
| Year | App | Top 10 | Rds. | Avg. | Low |
| 1999-00 | 9 | 1 | 27 | 73.74 | 68 |
| 1998-99 | 12 | 1 | 36 | 73.97 | 66 |
| 1997-98 | 11 | 1 | 34 | 73.85 | 66 |
| Career | 32 | 3 | 97 | 73.87 | 66 |
Low Round: 66, twice, at the 1999 Ping Intercollegiate, held in Tucson., in the second round and at the 1998 Pac-10 Championships, held in Orinda, Calif., in the third round.
SENIOR JONAS RUNNQUIST: Tied for fourth at ASU Thunderbird/SAVANE Invitational with a 5-under 211 (69-72-20)...shot a career-best 66 at the Nelson Invitational in third round on Oct. 31...is 6-under in his past four rounds...tied for fourth at the Nelson.
| Year | App | Top 10 | Rds. | Avg. | Low |
| 1999-00 | 8 | 2 | 24 | 73.21 | 66 |
| 1998-99 | 10 | 1 | 31 | 75.06 | 67 |
| 1997-98 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 75.00 | 70 |
| 1996-97 | 6 | 0 | 18 | 77.06 | 72 |
| Career | 26 | 3 | 79 | 74.95 | 66 |
Low Round: 66 at the 1999 Nelson Invitational, held at Stanford, in the third and final round.
NCAAs: Seven schools have made at least 11 straight trips to the NCAA Championships. The schools and the consecutive years they have contended are: Oklahoma State (53), Clemson (18), Florida (17), Arizona State (16), Arizona (11), UNLV (11), North Carolina (11).
THE AVERAGE FINISH: The Sun Devils averaged a 4.1 finish at the NCAA Championships in the 1990s, the best mark in the nation. Only Oklahoma State (4.5) averaged higher than an eighth-place finish in the past decade.
CUT ABOVE: Since the NCAA instituted the 15-team "cut" at the NCAA Championships in 1992, only three schools have made the cut each of the eight years: Arizona State, Oklahoma State and Florida.