As the calendar flips over to the month of April, the NCAA Division I men's golf spring campaign reaches the final stretch.
At this point in the season, some players are beginning to hit their strides, and are mentally preparing themselves for the grueling task that is ahead in their respective conference championships.
The men of ASU have two more events from now to the Pac-12 Championships, which are being held in Salt Lake City from April 29 through May 1.
The first of those two tournaments is the 44th annual ASU Thunderbird Invitational this coming Saturday and Sunday at ASU Karsten Golf Course in Tempe.
Here are a few things to look for this weekend:
Jon Rahm
This senior Sun Devil has been a model of consistency this season, recording a top-8 finish in each of ASU's four tournaments this spring. Rahm currently sits fourth among NCAA Division I men's golfers with a 70.00 scoring average, and is the No. 1-ranked amateur in the world. The senior from Spain enters his last months of collegiate golf as one of the most decorated ASU golfers in the program's history.
Home Course Advantage
The Sun Devils come into the tournament having taken the title the previous two years. All in all, ASU has won the event in 17 of the total 43 playings. The par 70, 7002 yard track features long par fours along with demanding tee shots. The course features the signature par-4 9th and par-4 18th heading back towards the club house. The holes are separated by a vast lake, anxious for arrant tee shots, making for a fun finish to each nine.
The Field
The 13-team field includes: Arizona State, California, Cal Poly, UC Davis, San Diego, San Diego State, Santa Clara, Hawaii, Iowa, Iowa State, Minnesota, South Dakota State and Princeton.
The History
While ASU has won 17 of the 43 contests as a team, they also boast 10 individual winners of the event (most of any school). Two of those winners registered multiple wins (Phil Mickelson, winner in '91, '92, and Jon Rahm, winner in '14, '15), and with a win Jon Rahm would be the only Sun Devil player to win the event three times.
Related links:
ASU women's golf finishes 6th at SDSU's March Mayhem
ASU men's golf looks for first win in Nevada
Reach the reporter at Braxton.Fox@asu.edu or follow @braxton_fox_II on Twitter.
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