April 10, 2002
KARSTEN TO HOST THUNDERBIRD/SAVANE INVITATIONAL: The Arizona State men's golf team plays host on April 12-13 (Friday-Saturday) to the 30th annual ASU Thunderbird/SAVANE Invitational at ASU's Karsten Golf Course (par-72, 7,037 yards). The 15 schools will play 36 holes on Friday, April 12, followed by a final round on Saturday, April 13. ASU has won the past three (1999-2001) Thunderbird/SAVANE Invitationals and has won the tournament 10 of the past 13 years. Last year, ASU shot a 25-under 839 and beat Texas by six strokes. ASU has won the Thunderbird Invitational 11 times (1984, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2001). Eight times Sun Devils have won the individual title: Mark Sollenberger (1974), Jim Carter (1984), Phil Mickelson (1991 and 1992), Larry Barber (1994), Todd Demsey (1995), Quinney (1999) and Paul Casey (2000). Anders Hultman of Oklahoma State is the defending champion and will be trying to win his second Thunderbird/SAVANE Invitational, something accomplished by just one other player as Phil Mickelson won titles in 1991-92. The 15 competing teams are: Arizona, ASU, BYU, Houston, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Pepperdine, Stanford, Texas, TCU, UCLA, USC and Washington. There will be a shotgun start on Friday at 7:30 a.m. while Saturday's regular tee-times will begin at 7 a.m. ASU has finished in the top five at the NCAAs in five of the past seven years and has won the Pac-10 title six of the past seven years. The Sun Devils also won national championships in 1990 and 1996. ASU is led by 10th-year head coach Randy Lein, the 1996 National Coach of the Year and a seven-time winner of Pac-10 Coach of the Year (five times at ASU and twice at USC).
REAVIE PLAYING IN THE MASTERS: ASU will be without its top player this weekend for a good reason. Chez Reavie won the 2001 Public Links Championship this past summer, becoming the third Sun Devil to earn the title, joining Billy Mayfair (1986) and John Jackson, Jr. (1969). Reavie earned a trip to the Masters with the title and is competing in Augusta this weekend. He tees with former ASU All-American Billy Mayfair and Tom Watson at 1:21 p.m. Thursday (10:21 Arizona time) and at 9:36 a.m. (6:36 a.m. Arizona time) on Friday. Reavie earned honorable mention All-America honors last year after finishing tied for fourth at the NCAA Championships in Durham, N.C. He shot a 7-under 281 (71-67-74-69) in his first NCAA event. Reavie had a wrist injury this past fall and did not compete but has competed in four events this spring and has a 72.67 stroke average. He has two top five and three top 10 finishes in his four events.
ASU HEAD COACH RANDY LEIN: Randy Lein has coached 56 tournament victories in his 20 seasons, tutored 43 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 10th season as ASU's coach, Lein has guided ASU to 33 tournament victories (including a school record six in 1995-96), seven Pac-10 titles, four NCAA West Regional wins (three of the past four) and eight top-10 finishes at the NCAAs including the 1996 title. In addition, Lein has tutored NCAA medalist Todd Demsey and 11 All-Americans (23 occasions): Todd Demsey (3), Chris Hanell (3), Paul Casey (3), Cade Stone, Chris Stutts, Joey Snyder (2), Scott Johnson (2), Darren Angel (2), Paul Casey (3), Jeff Quinney (3), Matt Jones and Chez Reavie (1). He has won Pac-10 Coach-of-the-Year five times (1993, 1995, 1996, 1999 and 2000) while at ASU and twice at USC (1980 and 1986). Lein (pronounced "Line") is a 1975 graduate of Cal State Northridge.
NCAA NOTE: 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 1990s.
THUNDERBIRD/SAVANE INVITATIONAL CHAMPIONS Year Champion/ASU Finish Individual Champion 1973 Long Beach St. (ASU-5th) Lance Suzuki, BYU 1974 Oklahoma St.(ASU-2nd) Mark Sollenberger, ASU 1975 BYU (ASU T-2nd) Scott Simpson, USC 1976 BYU (ASU-3rd) John Fought, BYU 1977 Oklahoma St. (ASU-2nd) Lindy Miller, OSU 1978 BYU (ASU-2nd) Curt Worley, SDSU 1979 UCLA (ASU-2nd) Corey Pavin, UCLA 1980 BYU (ASU-2nd) Bob Clampett, BYU 1981 San Jose State (ASU-3rd) Steve Jones, Colorado 1982 BYU (ASU-3rd) Storm Gleib, Weber State 1983 Oklahoma St. (1,083) (ASU-11th) Willie Wood, Oklahoma State (211) 1984 ASU Jim Carter , ASU 1985 Fresno State (1,106) (ASU-5th) Howard Johnson, San Diego State (209) 1986 BYU (1,072) (ASU-2nd) Eduardo Herrera , BYU (207) 1987 UCLA (1,100) (ASU-4th) David Sutherland, FSU (211) 1988 Oklahoma St. (853) (ASU-4th) Michael Bradley, OSU (141) 1989 ASU "B" (864/E) (ASU "A"-2nd) Aaron Bengoechea, Pacific (202/-14) 1990 ASU (846/-18) Ramon Brobio, BYU (209/-7) 1991 ASU (840/-24) Phil Mickelson, ASU (204/-12) 1992 ASU (854/-10) Phil Mickelson, ASU (209/-7) 1993 UA(850/-14) (ASU-3rd) David White, Arkansas (208/-8) 1994 ASU (859/-5) Larry Barber, ASU (205/-11) 1995 Arkansas (867/+3) (ASU-2nd) Todd Demsey, ASU (213/-3) 1996 ASU (864/E) Lonnie Damon, BYU (214/-2) 1997 ASU (854/-10) Jeff Mixon, Oklahoma (209/-7) 1998 UCLA (867/+13) (ASU-2nd) Brandon Ditullio, UCLA (211/-5) 1999 ASU (834/-30) Jeff Quinney, ASU (201/-15) 2000 ASU (846/-18) Paul Casey, ASU (207/-9) 2001 ASU (839/-25) Anders Hultman, Okla. St. (206/-10)