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69 Wins Second-Best In Nation As Men's Golf Readies For Spring

Jan 27, 2014

GOLFWEEK’S MEN’S GOLF PAC-12 PREVIEW...

SOME IMPROVEMENT GOING ON HERE: Tim Mickelson took over a program in the summer of 2011 that was 89-86-3 in head-to-head record in the previous year. In 2011-12, the young squad was 62-96-1, but his past two seasons have resulted in rapid improvement. The 2012-13 team that made the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championship was 125-89-1, and this year’s team is 69-10 entering play this spring. A look at the past six seasons of head-to-head play for men’s golf.

MEN’S GOLF HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORDS
2013-14: 69-10-0
2012-13: 125-89-6
2011-12: 62-96-1
2010-11: 89-86-3
2009-10: 115-63-6
2008-09: 129-52-2

WANT SOME MORE IMPROVEMENT NOTES HEADING TO SPRING?: Yes, all schedules and tournaments are different, but if you rack up 60 wins in the fall no matter what school you played against or how many tournaments you played that doesn’t stink. According to Golfweek rankings, only Hartford (ranked No. 121) had more “wins” at 72-10 than No. 34 Arizona State’s 69-10. No. 4 California was 63-5. No. 53 Louisville was 60-20-2 and No. 93 Cincinnati was 60-9-1.

50: The 2012-13 season marked the 50th NCAA Championship/Finals appearance in Sun Devil men's golf history, behind only Oklahoma State (66), Texas (59) and USC (54) and tied at 50 with

RAHM REMINDER: He didn't get the National Freshman of the Year, but an argument could be made he should have last year. Jon Rahm, the 2012-13 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, had one of the best freshman seasons in Sun Devil history...shot a NCAA Championship opening round record 61 on May 28...posted wins, the Bill Cullum Invitational and the Lamkin Grips San Diego Classic...one of only two players in the nation to play 46 rounds this year, and all of them counted...ranked first in the nation in par-5 scoring at 4.51 strokes...tied for first in the nation lead with nine eagles...led nation with 165 birdies...second Sun Devil to win the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, as 2003 NCAA champion Alejandro Canizares won honor in 2003...also a second-team All-Pac-12 selection...71.37 stroke average is best by a Sun Devil freshman.

4.51: No one in the college golf universe was better than Jon Rahm on par-5 holes in 2012-13. He averaged 4.51, topping Kyle Westmoreland of Air Force (4.57) for the top spot in all of collegiate golf. Only Niklas Lemke (4.47 in 2006-07) and Paul Casey (4.51 in 1999-2000) could equal or top that mark in the Sun Devil record book in the past 20 seasons.

46: Jon Rahm tied with senior and NCAA Champion Max Homa of California as the only two players in the nation to play 46 rounds, and amazingly Jon had his score count in all 46. Only two other Sun Devils in the past 20 seasons had 100 percent scoring: Chris Hanell in 39 rounds in 1996-97 and Niklas Lemke in 2006-07 in 37 rounds. One more note on Jon's 46 rounds...exactly half of them (23) were par or better.

9: Jon's nine eagles was tied for the best mark in the nation with sophomore Xander Schauffele of San Diego State. That also is the most by a Sun Devil in the past 20 seasons, topping Paul Casey's eight eagles in his freshman season of 1997-98.

165: Jon also led the nation in birdies with 165, topping NCAAchampion Max Homa by three.

CHAMPS FROM THE PAC-12: Pac-12 teams ASU (1996), Cal (2004), Stanford (2007 and 1994) and UCLA (2008) have won NCAA men's golf titles in the past 20 years. Other Pac-12 teams to win the title are: Stanford (1938, 1939, 1941, 1942, 1946, 1953), UCLA (1988) and Arizona (1992). Last year there were five Pac-12 teams in the 30-team field, second only to the SEC's nine. The Big 12 also had five.

PAST TWO DECADES: ASU has finished in the top five (or reached quarterfinals since 2009) at the NCAA Championship seven times in past 21 years, behind only Oklahoma State (12) and Georgia Tech (10). ASU has finished first (1996), fourth (1995), fifth (1998 and 1999) and tied for fifth (1997, 2009 and 2013) in that time frame.

NCAA TOP-5/QUARTERFINAL FINISHES (1993-2013)
Oklahoma State-12
Georgia Tech-10
Arizona State-7
Clemson-7
Georgia, Stanford, Texas, UCLA-6

INDIVIDUAL FINISHES
The top-10 Sun Devil individual finishes at the NCAA Championships dating to Jim Carter's 1983 NCAA Championship both by place and chronologically.

ASU NCAA TOP-10 FINISHES
Alejandro Canizares (Fr.) 1st/2003 (Stillwater, Okla.)
Todd Demsey (So.), 1st/1993 (Lexington, Ky.)
Phil Mickelson (Sr.), 1st/1992 (Albuquerque, N.M.)
Phil Mickelson (So.), 1st/1990 (Tarpon Springs, Fla.)
Phil Mickelson (Fr.), 1st/1989 (Edmond, Okla.)
Jim Carter (Jr.), 1st/1983 (Fresno, Calif.)
Jon Rahm (Fr.), T2nd/2013 (Atlanta, Calif.)
Darren Angel (Fr.), T3rd/1996 (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
Chez Reavie (Fr.), T4th/2001 (Durham, N.C.)
Phil Mickelson (Jr.), T4th/1991 (Pebble Beach, Calif.)
Paul Casey (So.), 4th/1999 (Chaska, Minn.)
Joey Snyder (Jr.), T5th/1995 (Columbus, Ohio)
Darren Angel (Jr.), T7th/1998 (Albuquerque, N.M.)
Todd Demsey (Jr.), T7th/1994 (Dallas, Texas)
Scott Johnson (So.), T8th/1995 (Columbus, Ohio
Jesper Kennegard (So.), T9th/2009 (Toledo, Ohio)
Chez Reavie (Jr.), 9th/2003 (Stillwater, Okla.)
Billy Mayfair (Sr.), T9th/1988 (Westlake Village, Calif.)
Scott Johnson (Sr.), T10th/1997 (Chicago, Ill.)
Chris Hanell (Sr.), T10th/1997 (Chicago, Ill.)
Chris Hanell (Fr.), T10th/1994 (Dallas, Texas)

RECENT ASU NCAA INDIVIDUAL TOP-10 FINISHES
Jon Rahm (Fr.), T2nd/2013 (Atlanta, Calif.)
Jesper Kennegard (So.), T9th/2009 (Toledo, Ohio)
Alejandro Canizares (Fr.) 1st/2003 (Stillwater, Okla.)
Chez Reavie (Jr.), 9th/2003 (Stillwater, Okla.)
Chez Reavie (Fr.), T4th/2001 (Durham, N.C.)
Paul Casey (So.), 4th/1999 (Chaska, Minn.)
Darren Angel (Jr.), T7th/1998 (Albuquerque, N.M.)
Scott Johnson (Sr.), T10th/1997 (Chicago, Ill.)
Chris Hanell (Sr.), T10th/1997 (Chicago, Ill.)
Darren Angel (Fr.), T3rd/1996 (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
Joey Snyder (Jr.), T5th/1995 (Columbus, Ohio)
Scott Johnson (So.), T8th/1995 (Columbus, Ohio
Todd Demsey (Jr.), T7th/1994 (Dallas, Texas)
Chris Hanell (Fr.), T10th/1994 (Dallas, Texas)
Todd Demsey (So.), 1st/1993 (Lexington, Ky.)
Phil Mickelson (Sr.), 1st/1992 (Albuquerque, N.M.)
Phil Mickelson (Jr.), T4th/1991 (Pebble Beach, Calif.)
Phil Mickelson (So.), 1st/1990 (Tarpon Springs, Fla.)
Phil Mickelson (Fr.), 1st/1989 (Edmond, Okla.)
Billy Mayfair (Sr.), T9th/1988 (Westlake Village, Calif.)
Jim Carter (Jr.), 1st/1983 (Fresno, Calif.)

NCAA CHAMPS FROM ASU/PAC-12: ASU has had four NCAA medalists on six occasions: Jim Carter (1983), Phil Mickelson (1989, 1990, 1992), Todd Demsey (1993) and Alejandro Canizares (2003). Other Pac-12 winners include: Frank Tatum Jr. of Stanford (1942), Scott Simpson of USC (1976 and 1977), Ron Commans of USC (1981), Tiger Woods of Stanford (1996), James Lepp of Washington (2005), Jamie Lovemark of USC (2007), Kevin Chappell of UCLA (2008) and Max Homa of California (2013).

NCAA CHAMPIONS: A look at the schools that have produced the most NCAA individual champions and the year the most recent champion took home the title:

NCAA MEN'S GOLF MEDALISTS BY SCHOOL
13-Yale, Tom Aycock, 1929
8-Harvard, J.W. Hubbell, 1916
8-Houston, Billy Ray Brown, 1982
8-Oklahoma State, Jonathan Moore, 2007
7-Princeton, G.T. Dunlap, 1931
6-Arizona State, Alejandro Canizares, 2003
6-Texas, Justin Leonard, 1994
5-Ohio State, Clark Burroughs, 1985
4-USC, Jamie Lovemark, 2007

SUN DEVILS IN THE TOP 10
ASU has finished in the top ten at the NCAA Championships 12 times in past 21 years, behind only Oklahoma State (13) and Georgia Tech (13) in that time.

NCAA TOP-10 FINISHES (1993-2013)
Oklahoma State-13
Georgia Tech-13
Arizona State-12
Clemson-11

SUN DEVILS IN THE TOP 10:
Eight times a freshman has won the NCAA title, and twice it was a Sun Devil freshman.

NCAA CHAMPIONS AS FRESHMAN
2007-Jamie Lovemark, USC
2006-Jonathan Moore, Oklahoma State
2003-Alejandro Canizares, Arizona State
1998-James McLean, Minnesota
1989-Phil Mickelson, Arizona State
1982-Billy Ray Brown, Houston
1974-Curtis Strange, Wake Forest
1971-Ben Crenshaw, Texas

SUN DEVIL NCAA FINISHES YEAR-BY-YEAR (PAC-12/10 ERA; 1978-79 TO PRESENT)
2013: T-5th
2012: DNC
2011: 18th
2010: T-8th
2009: T-5th
2008: T-17th
2007: T-18th
2006: 11th
2005: T-11th
2004: T-21st
2003: 6th
2002: DNC
2001: 6th
2000: T-25th
1999: 5th
1998: 5th
1997: T-5th
1996: 1st
1995: 4th
1994: T-9th
1993: 6th
1992: 2nd
1991: 3rd
1990: 1st
1989: 5th
1988: 10th
1987: 16th
1986: 8th
1985: 11th
1984: 9th
1983: DNC
1982: 3rd
1981: 5th
1980: T-20th
1979: 8th

COACH MICKELSON AT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
2013: T-5th (Arizona State)
2011: T-16th (San Diego)
2010: T-8th (San Diego)
2009: 13th (San Diego)

SUN DEVIL MEN'S GOLF HEAD COACHES
Aaron McCreary, 1931
Joe Selleh, 1932
Earl Pomeroy, 1940
Bill Quinn, 1948-1949
Al Onofrio, 1952-1956
John Zuchowski, 1958
Francis E. Markham, 1959-1960
Bill Mann, 1961-1974
George Boutell, 1975-1986
Steve Loy, 1987-1992
Todd Rolfes, 1992 (interim)
Randy Lein, 1992-2011
Tim Mickelson, 2011-present

COACH TIM: Tim Mickelson, who had led the University of San Diego to the school's first three NCAA appearances in program history, was named Sun Devil head men's golf on July 10, 2011. Mickelson, a four-time West Coast Conference Coach of the Year honors, is the 13th coach in the history of the program which won national titles in 1990 (under Steve Loy) and 1996 (under Randy Lein).

In 2013 he led the Sun Devils back to where they belong, as ASU reached NCAA Match Play after being seeded 27th and Jon Rahm tied for second, the best finish by a Sun Devil at the NCAA Championships since Alejandro Canizares won the NCAA title in 2003. ASU had three freshmen in the lineup.

Mickelson, the younger brother of Sun Devil and PGA Tour professional Phil Mickelson, arrived at ASU following a remarkable eight-year run at USD where he steadily built the program into a national contender, as it finished in the top 20 each of his final three years (2009-11), including an eighth-place finish in 2010. In addition to advancing to NCAAs the final three seasons, Mickelson guided the program to the NCAA Regionals five of his final six seasons, including the last four. He also spear-headed the most successful season in USD history in 2009-10, leading the Toreros to a school-record five tournament victories and 10 top-five team finishe

In 2011 Mickelson was named WCC Coach of the Year for the fourth time in his career (2011, 2010, 2008, 2005), as he led the Toreros to nine top-five finishes, including a pair of tournament victories, and a 16th-place finish at the NCAA Championships. Under Mickelson's guidance, USD junior Alex Ching was named the WCC's Golfer of the Year.

After inheriting a Torero team that had placed in the lower half of the WCC in 2003, Mickelson immediately led San Diego to a top-tier conference finish in his first year directing the fortunes of the USD program. Mickelson's second campaign was highlighted by San Diego winning team championship honors at the 17-school, 2005 Men's Fidelity National Title held at Cypress Ridge Golf Course on California's Central Coast.

Prior to taking the head coaching position at USD, Mickelson spent two seasons as assistant to Dale Walker at San Diego State, helping lead the Aztecs to back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Regionals, as well as an appearance in the 2003 NCAA National Championship.

Mickelson, who was a member of ASU's 1996 NCAA Championship team, played three seasons at Arizona State (1995-1998) before concluding his collegiate career at Oregon State. He earned Academic All-Pac-10 honors in 1997 and 1998. At OSU Mickelson finished second individually at the 2000 Pac-10 Championships, leading the Beavers to a second-place conference finish. The current holder of numerous OSU golf records, including low 18, 36, 54, and 72-hole scoring records, he graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Liberal Studies.