Men’s Golf Down Six Strokes Heading to Final Round Thursday at Big 12 Championships

The Sun Devil men’s golf team is in second with one round to play Thursday at its first Big 12 Championship at the Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa. Tee times begin at 7 a.m. CT/5 a.m. AZT, as ASU, Houston and Oklahoma State will have its five players teeing between 8 a.m. and 8:48 a.m.

ASU is six shots back of Oklahoma State, as the Cowboys are at 1-over 841 (286-279-276) while the Sun Devils sit at 7-over 847 (277-284-286). Houston is third at 26-over 866 (295-287-284).

ASU has three players competing for the individual title, with Connor Williams (70-66-73) and Josele Ballester (68-71-70) tied for top spot with Houston’s Wolfgang Glawe (70-71-68). All three are at 1-under 209, while Michael Mjaaseth is tied for seventh at 1-over 211 (69-72-70)

Sun Devils as Pac-10/Pac-13 Medalists
Jon Rahm won the 2016 Pac-12 title and Paul Casey won three straight Pac-10 titles from 1998-2000, which set a conference record for consecutive Pac-10/12 titles. Other Sun Devils who won the Pac-10 Championship are Scott Johnson (1997), Phil Mickelson (1990), co-medalists Dan Forsman and Tony Grimes (1981), Jim Bertoncino (co-medalist in 1980) and co-medalists Scott Watkins and Dan Croonquist (1979).

Conference Championship Tradition
Since the time it joined the Pac-10 in 1978-19, no men’s golf team was better in its conference tournament than Arizona State. ASU added to their record total of 13 Pac-10/12 team championships since joining the league in 1978-79 in 2024, which was five more than any other school (USC had eight).

Vs. The Field
ASU is 20-3 in head-to-head meetings with Big 12 opponents. ASU is undefeated against Arizona (2-0), Baylor (3-0), Colorado (1-0), Houston (3-0), TCU (2-0) and Utah (1-0) and is 5-1 vs. Texas Tech 3-3 vs. Oklahoma State.
 
Pac-10/Pac-12 Success
Arizona State won 13 Pac-10/12 titles in its 45 chances, including a conference record six straight from 1995-2000. In addition to the six straight Pac-10 titles, ASU’s other seven Pac-10 titles were in 1979 (its first year in the league), 1981, 1989, 1990, 1993, 2008, and 2024. ASU tied for the league title in 2005 with Washington but lost on a tiebreaker formula, and the league decided to go to a playoff format after that season.

MOST PAC-10/12 TEAM TITLES SINCE 1979 (ASU and Arizona joined the Pac-10 in the 1978-79 athletic season)
ARIZONA STATE (13): 2024, 2008, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1993, 1990, 1989, 1981, 1979
USC (8): 2018, 2011, 2007, 2002, 2001, 1986, 1984, 1980
STANFORD…