Men’s Golf On Top at Alister MacKenzie Invite

By Lindsay Gaesser, SDA Media Relations

Fairfax, Calif.—The Arizona State men’s golf team is in first place after rounds one and two of the Alister MacKenzie Invitational, hosted by Cal at the par-71, 6,734-yard Meadow Club in Fairfax, Calif.  Through 36 holes, the Sun Devils are 19-under 549 (271-278). 

Tomorrow’s action looks to go right down to the wire as two strokes separate Arizona State from second-place Cal.  Oregon State, which led the pack for a majority of the afternoon round, slipped to third place with a two-round total of 16-under 552.  San Diego State and UC Davis round out the rest of the top five on the team leader board.    

On the individual side, Arizona State has three golfers in the top 10.  Junior Max Rottluff is currently tied for second place with Cal’s Sebastian Crampton at 8-under 134.  Both are one stroke back from first-place Yannik Paul of Colorado.  Junior Jon Rahm and sophomore Ki Taek Lee are tied for seventh at 5-under 137.      

Morning Round

The Sun Devils had a tremendous first round, finishing at 13-under 271.  Arizona State sat atop the team leader board with all of its golfers under par. 

Rahm led the Sun Devils with a season-low 66.  Rahm, who has an NCAA-best 21 eagles in the past two seasons, tallied his first eagle of the 2014-15 season on the 15th hole at Meadow Club. 

Rottluff, who finished in sixth place at the Itani Quality Homes Collegiate, is in the hunt once again after scorching the back nine with five birdies and tying his season-low 68. 

Lee tied his season- and career-low 67, which he shot in the second round of the Itani Quality Homes Collegiate back in September.  Lee recorded three birdies on each nine Monday morning, finishing the round at 4-under 67.

Junior Alberto Sanchez shot a 1-under 70, tallying four birdies throughout the round. 

Afternoon Round

With the help of Rottluff’s season-low 66, the Sun Devils regained the top spot on the leader board after trailing Oregon State for a majority of the second round. 

Rottluff got off to a hot start with an eagle on the first hole and three birdies on the front nine.  After back-to-back bogeys on holes nine and 10, the junior finished strong with three more birdies.

Lee was the only other Sun Devil under par in the afternoon round.  Tallying two birdies and a bogey, Lee shot a 1-under 70 for a two-round total of 5-under 137 (67-70). 

Both Rahm and senior Mathias Schjoelberg were even par at the end of round two.  After getting off to a slow start, Rahm carded back-to-back birdies on holes 15 and 16.  Schjoelberg is currently tied for 30th overall with an even par 142 (71-71).      

Tuesday’s final round will begin with an 8:15 a.m. PT shotgun start.  Arizona State will tee off from hole one with Cal, Oregon State, and San Diego State. 

Live scoring is available at www.golfstat.com.