The ASU men’s golf team traveled to Windermere, Florida Thursday night as they prepare to compete in the Tavistock Collegiate Invitational at Isleworth Golf & Country Club.
The event, which starts Oct. 20, will mark the Sun Devils’ fourth and final competition of the 2019 fall semester.
ASU has enjoyed a successful fall season thus far, compiling three top five tournament finishes including first place wins at the Maui Jim Intercollegiate in Scottsdale and the Trinity Forest Invitational in Dallas.
Tavistock will provide the Sun Devils with yet another change of scenery as it takes place in a part of the country and a golfing environment new to the team this season.
“It’s always been our last tournament of the fall and is always one of the best fields of the year,” head coach Matt Thurmond said. “It’s a nice measurement of where we are as a team and a tone setter for our offseason.”
The Tavistock Collegiate Invitational was founded in 2003 and regards itself as “college golf’s major championship,” featuring many of the top college golf programs in the nation.
Thurmond and associate head coach Armen Kirakossian will roll out a lineup consisting of seniors Chun (Kevin) An Yu and Alex del Rey, junior Mason Andersen, sophomore Cameron Sisk and freshman Ryggs Johnston.
No two lineups this semester have been the same for the Sun Devils. Four of the team members traveling to Tavistock have competed in the event before, and Johnston has earned a spot with his strong play of late.
“[Johnston] has been incredibly steady ever since he got to campus,” Kirakossian said. “In every way possible, he has done what you need to do to acclimate as a freshman … He’s gone out there, played his game and has really had some great results and produced a lot of good rounds so far.”
ASU will hope to finish the fall semester strong and will have a little over three months to recharge before their next tournament in January.
“We will still continue to have some team practices and workouts [following Tavistock], but mainly the guys will focus a lot on school and resting, and they’ll go home in the winter time,” Kirakossian said.
Reach the reporter at hcroton@asu.edu or follow @thecrote on Twitter.
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