It’s crunch time for the ASU men’s golf team, as the players, vying for their first win of the season, defend home turf.
The ASU Thunderbird Invitational, of which ASU has won seven of the last 12, might be the easiest tournament the Sun Devils will compete in all year, even if last year’s ASU team tied for eighth, its lowest finish in the annual tournament since 1983.
The field consists of four Pac-10 teams and two teams in the top 20, No. 9 San Diego State and No. 17 California. Last tournament’s teams featured four top-10 teams, according to golfweek.com.
This will be the last home tournament for the Sun Devils’ five seniors, three of whom have played at ASU for their entire career: James Byrne, Jesper Kennegard and Scott Pinckney.
Pinckney looks to continue his successful spring, as he has yet to finish outside of the top ten this season. However, despite being consistently at the top of the leader board, he has been able to finish in the top three only once this season.
Pinckney feels this is the tournament in which he can finally break through.
“It would be really special to win my last tournament (at home),” Pinckney said, “Being a senior, it’s definitely one of my goals.”
Pinckney has yet to place higher than tied for third in the tournament, a feat he accomplished in his sophomore year. He will also be the highest ranked player in the field at No. 43, according to golfweek.com.
Kennegard’s best finish in the event is tied for third as well, albeit in his freshman year. He is coming off his best finish, tied for ninth, in his last three tournaments.
Junior Spencer Fletcher will be taking the place of James Byrne and compete for the Sun Devils in his third Thunderbird Invitational. Last year Fletcher finished tied for 16th, including the only sub-70 round of his ASU career, a 7-under-par 64 on the final day. Fletcher competed in his first tournament this calendar year during the Sun Devils’ last competition, the Southern Highlands Collegiate Masters in Las Vegas, finishing fourth on the team and tied for 58th overall.
Also competing for the team in their first home tournament for ASU will be senior transfers Thomas Buran and Oscar Zetterwall.
ASU coach Randy Lein has won the tournament 11 times in his 18 tries, including back-to-back wins in 1996-1997, 2000-2001, 2003-2004 and 2008-2009.
Reach the reporter at jjmckelv@asu.edu
