Click here for ASU Thunderbird Invitational champions and records
Click here for more information on the ASU Karsten Golf Course
Click here for ASU men's golf statistics from Golfstat
Click here for some some notes and numbers on ASU men's golf heading towards 2011 championships
TEMPE - The Arizona State men's golf team is set to host the 39th annual ASU Thunderbird Invitational at ASU's Karsten Golf Course (par-71, 7,057 yards) April 9-10 (Saturday-Sunday). The 13 participating schools will play 36 holes Saturday and a final round on Sunday.
Senior Jesper Kennegard is competing in his fourth Thunderbird Invitational and tied for third in the event as a freshman in 2007-08. Senior Scott Pinckney, who is also making his fourth appearance in the event, tied for third as a sophomore in 2008-09. This will be the third Thunderbird for junior Thomas Buran and Oscar Zetterwall.
ASU has won seven of the past 12 (1999-2001, 2003-2004, 2008-2009) Thunderbird Invitational Tournaments and has won the tournament 14 of the past 22 years. Last year, ASU finished in a tie for eighth at 4-over 856 as Kennegard and Knut Borsheim tied for 24th at even par. Washington claimed the team championship, while San Diego State's J.J. Spaun was crowned individual champion.
THE FIELD:
Arizona State, No. 18 Cal, Colorado State, CS Northridge, Florida State, Northwestern, Pepperdine, No. 10 San Diego State, San Jose State, UC Irvine, UNLV, USC and Washington State (rankings based on March 27 Golfweek poll).
ANOTHER SET OF RANKINGS
Three teams competing in this weekend's ASU/Thunderbird Invitational are ranked in the March 21 GOLFWORLD/Nike poll as San Diego State is seventh, California 17th and USC 25th. ASU is just behind USC, ranked 26th.
TOURNAMENT HISTORY
ASU WINNERS: Fourteen ASU teams have won the Thunderbird Invitational, with ASU winning the title in 1984, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2008 and 2009.
PAST ASU INDIVIDUAL WINNERS: Eight Sun Devils have won the individual titles on nine occasions, with Phil Mickelson (1991 and 1992) the only multiple winner. Other Sun Devil individual winners include Mark Sollenberger (1974), Jim Carter (1984), Larry Barber (1994), Todd Demsey (1995), Jeff Quinney (2000), Paul Casey (2001) and Alejandro Canizares (2003), Stephan Gross (2009-shared).
THE HEAD COACH: Coach Jesper Kennegard (3), Scott Pinckney (1) and Stephan Gross (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.
THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP UNDER LEIN: ASU has made 17 NCAA Championship appearances in Lein's 18 years (1993-2010), tied for the second-best mark in the nation with Florida. The Sun Devils finished first (1996), fourth (1995), fifth (1998 and 1999), tied for fifth (1997 and 2009), sixth (1993, 2001 and 2003), tied for eighth (2010), tied for ninth (1994), tied for 11th (2005), tied for 17th (2008), tied for 18th (2007), tied for 21st (2004) and tied for 25th (2001). He has guided ASU to 11 top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championship, behind only Oklahoma State (13), and six top-five finishes, behind only Oklahoma State (11), Georgia Tech (eight) and Clemson (seven) in that time.
Live scoring of the event, beginning April 9, will be available at golfstat.com.