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Round One Recap From Grayhawk

by thesundevils.com
May 28, 2021
Mason Andersen was one of only four players to birdie hole 18 in the first round of the NCAA Championship Friday.

The Sun Devil men's golf team shot a 4-over 284 in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Championships held at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, putting itself in the seventh spot heading into Saturday's second round.

Senior Mason Andersen fired a 2-under 68, which included a tournament best six birdies, and he was one of just four players in the 156-player field to birdie the 520-yard No. 18 hole.

MASON ANDERSEN BEST ROUNDS OF 2021 SEASON
68/-4, Pac-12 Championship first round (April 26)
68/-3, Valspar Invitational third round (March 16)
68/-2, NCAA Championship first round (May 28)

ASU posted five bogeys on the first hole and was 4-over after three holes, but it just stayed patient. ASU had seven bogeys and just one birdie in its first 15 holes among its five players, but it had 12 birdies in the final 15 holes, led by Andersen who was 2-over through five but 4-under in the final 13.

"We've been waiting two years for those five straight bogeys," Coach Matt Thurmond laughed. "I don't think people realize just how nervous you are, any golf tournament. Everybody is scared to death on the first tee, just hoping to make contact. That hole was playing pretty tough today. A birdie or bogey usually calms your nerves but a par, just you advance. In a way, five straight bogeys, I was relieved. Everybody's just 1-over and you know they're going to make some birdies."

Cameron Sisk also posted a solid round, shooting even-par 70.

"I've been hitting the ball well lately.I have a lot of confidence in my game right now," Sisk said. "But this place played like it was expected to play. It's tough. It's important to hit the fairway and really important to hit the green. Even from there it's not easy to make a bunch of pars out there. Birdies when you can make them are important. It was a good day overall."

Texas Tech, which is coming off a win at the Albuquerque Regional, kept its momentum going with a 4-under 276 in the morning wave, while Sam Houston State also had a solid morning round with a 2-under 278.

The Sun Devils will tee at 7:27 a.m. on Saturday. A cut will occur after Sunday's round to 15 teams, and then the eight-team cut is after Sunday's third round.
 

2021 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
GRAYHAWK GOLF CLUB
SCOTTSDALE, AZ
PAR-70/7,289 YARDS
30-TEAM LEADERBOARD
1.Texas Tech 276/-4
2. Sam Houston State 278/-2
3. Pepperdine 279/-1
T4. Oklahoma State 280/E
T4. Oklahoma 280/E
6. Florida State 281/+1
7. Arizona State 284/+4
T8. Oregon State 286/+6
T8. San Diego State 286/+6
T10. Wake Forest 287/+7
T10. Arkansas 287/+7
T10. Clemson 287/+7
T10. SMU 287/+7
T10. Illinois 287/+7
T15. North Carolina 288/+8
T15. Florida 288/+8
T17. Georgia Tech 289/+9
T17. Louisville 289/+9
T19. San Diego 292/+12
T19. Tennessee 292/+12
T19. Georgia 292/+12
T19. TCU 292/+12
23. Vanderbilt 293/+13
T24. Little Rock 294/+14
T24. Texas 294/+14
T26. UAB 295/+15
T26. Liberty 295/+15
28. East Tennessee State 300/+20
T29. San Francisco 301/+21
T29. NC State 301/+21

SUN DEVIL INDIVIDUALS/156-PLAYER FIELD
1. Cole Bradley, Purdue 66/-4
T5. Mason Andersen 68/-2
T28. Cameron Sisk 70/E
T55. Ryggs Johnston 72/+2
T87. Chun An Yu 74/+2
T105. David Puig 74/+3

TOUGH FIRST HOLE
The Sun Devils got off to a slow start with each player bogeying the first par-4 No. 1. Through three holes, the Sun Devils had just one birdie and seven bogeys. Cameron Sisk birdied the next two holes and David Puig birdied No. 4 to get the Sun Devils back in gear.

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