Golf (M)

This is Sun Devil Men's Golf

Since joining the Pac-10 in 1978, no team has won more league titles than Arizona State men's golf with its dozen championships. With history that dates to 1931, the Sun Devils have claimed two NCAA team titles, six NCAA individual titles, three U.S. Amateur champions and the first two-time winner of the Ben Hogan Award. The program has produced amateur and professional stars such as Phil Mickelson, Paul Casey, Jeff Quinney, Alejandro Canizares, Jon Rahm and Billy Mayfair who continue to shape the world of golf at all levels.

Included in those 12 Pac-12 titles are a record six straight from 1995-2000, with other titles in 1979, 1981, 1989, 1990, 1993, and 2008. The Sun Devils have seven regional championships in its trophy case, tied for third-best in the NCAA and for the most by any Pac-12 school.

Since 1958 only three schools have earned more first-, second- or third-team All-Americans than ASU. Sun Devils have earned the honor 66 times with 25 first-team picks, 23 second-team picks, and 18 third-team picks, while another 46 times a Sun Devil has earned honorable mention honors. Since 1993, ASU has posted 13 NCAA top-10 finishes.

With players like Phil Mickelson, Matt Jones, Jon Rahm, Pat Perez and Paul Casey producing on the PGA Tour, new head coach Matt Thurmond, the 2009 National Coach of the Year, has a program in place that has incredible tradition.

This is Sun Devil Men's Golf.

Facilities

Located on the southwest corner of the player practice driving range on Rural Road, the player practice and instructional facility serves as the home of Sun Devil men's and women's golf teams. The building includes "Hobbs House" (named after Bob and Karen Hobbs and family, who were major contributors to the clubhouse). Inside the facility is a large player facility room, which has a state-of the-art video analysis system, a study area and a team meeting room. In addition, the building also has locker room facilities for both the men's and women's teams and satellite offices for both head coaches.

Papago Golf Course

Originally built in 1963, Papago Golf Course was one of the original Valley golf courses and has been an asset to the Phoenix public-golf community. Arizona State, in partnership with the City of Phoenix, will revitalize the course and build a state of the art club house. Papago Golf Course will become the home golf course for Arizona State's nine-time NCAA Championship winning golf programs. Until a master plan is in place for the athletics district, Karsten Golf Course will remain open and there is no timetable in place yet in regards to closing the golf course. ASU will also retain the golf practice facility on campus so it is close to Sun Devil Athletics facilities and classes for the student-athletes.

Producing Pros

Many professional golfers are proud to say they were a Sun Devil. These include legends like Phil Mickelson, who has won four major championships and more than 40 events on the PGA tour, Billy Mayfair, who has won five PGA events and became the first player to beat Tiger Woods in a playoff on the PGA tour, and Sun Devil record holders Paul Casey and Alejandro Canizares. Other recent Sun Devils on the tour include Pat Perez (2009 Bob Hope Classic winner), Matt Jones (more than $9 million earned on PGA Tour), Jeff Quinney (2000 U.S. Amateur Champion) and Chez Reavie (2001 U.S. Public Links), and of course Jon Rahm who earned more than $1 million in his first season. Arizona State in the 2016-17 PGA TOUR season earned more than $20 million dollars, the most by any university.

Champions Wear Gold

Current Success

During the 2021-22 season, ASU had its best NCAA finishes since 1996 with a tie for third in 2021 and last season's NCAA champion runner-up finish to Texas.

Last season (2021-22) saw the Sun Devils make a fantastic run to the finals of the NCAA Championship, have another Sun Devil (Preston Summerhays) win Pac-12 Newcomer of the Year and watch four Sun Devils earn All-America honors for the second straight year while also racking up three team tournament wins, including the NCAA Stockton Regional.

 

Preston Summerhays and Matt Thurmond

 

Alumni Success

Jon Rahm is the champion of the 87th Masters Tournament after firing 12-under par, winning by four strokes. He carded 65-69-73-69=276/-12 in the four rounds. The win is his second major championship and he has returned to World No. 1 with the victory on April 9, 2023. The 2016 Arizona State Bachelor of Arts in Communications is the first Sun Devil since Phil Mickelson in 2010 - and just the second man in program history - to win the most prestigious tournament in golf.

 

Jon Rahm in Green Jacket after winning the 2023 Masters

 

As a Sun Devil, Rahm won a ghastly 11 tournaments and had the third lowest scoring average in college golf history in his junior year. He won the 2015 and 2016 Ben Hogan Awards for being the best collegiate golfer in the land and was a two-time first team All-American while donning the Maroon and Gold.

He has now won 11 professional tournament wins and two majors - The 2021 US Open - representing Arizona State, the second-most professional tournaments behind Mickelson's loud 42 triumphs.
 
The three-time champion Mickelson finished tied for second after firing a 7-under 65 Sunday, good for the lowest final round score of his illustrious Masters career. At 52 years old, he is the oldest man to ever finish in the top five at Augusta National with a 71-69-75-65=280/-8 card. 

Arizona State became just the second institution ever to have both the winner and runner-up in the same Masters Tournament, after Ohio State had Jack Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf in 1975. ASU is now one of four schools to have multiple Masters Winners, joining Texas, Houston and Stanford.

Coaching Staff

Head coach Matt Thurmond was hired to lead the men's golf program on July 25, 2016, by Ray Anderson and in his first six seasons has led ASU to 17 team titles, earned 2019 Pac-12 Coach of the Year and hired the nation's top assistant coach who is now the UCLA head coach. Entering 2022-23 he has led ASU to its best NCAA finishes since 1996 with a tie for third in 2021 and last season's runner-up finish to Texas.

 

Sun Devil Top Amateur Honors

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NICKLAUS AWARD: (4)
2016: Jon Rahm
1992: Phil Mickelson
1991: Phil Mickelson
1990: Phil Mickelson

U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPION (3)
2000: Jeff Quinney
1990: Phil Mickelson
1987: Billy Mayfair

NCAA MEDALISTS (6)
2003: Alejandro Canizares
1993: Todd Demsey
1992: Phil Mickelson
1990: Phil Mickelson
1989: Phil Mickelson
1983: Jim Carter

PAC-12 MEDALISTS (11)
2016: Jon Rahm
2000: Paul Casey
1999: Paul Casey
1998: Paul Casey
1997: Scott Johnson
1990: Phil Mickelson
1981: Dan Forsman and Tony Grimes
1980: Jim Bertoncino**
1979: Scott Watkins and Dan Croonquist