Men's golf hosts 14 schools for Thunderbird Invite

April 04, 2011

<a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/archive/asu-m-golf-thunderbi…; Click here for ASU Thunderbird Invitational champions and records </a><separator></separator><a href="http://asukarsten.com/"> Click here for more information on the ASU Karsten Golf Course </a><separator></separator><a href="http://www.golfstat.com/ultimate/M542web/M542index.htm"> Click here for ASU men's golf statistics from Golfstat </a><separator></separator>The Arizona State men's golf team is set to host the 39th annual ASU Thunderbird Invitational at ASU's Karsten Golf Course (par-71, 7,057 yards) April 9-10 (Saturday-Sunday). The 14 schools will play 36 holes Saturday and a final round on Sunday.<separator></separator>ASU has won seven of the past 12 (1999-2001, 2003-2004, 2008-2009) <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/recaps/041109aaf.html"> Thunderbird Invitational Tournaments </a> and has won the tournament 14 of the past 22 years. Last year, ASU finished in a tie for eighth at 4-over 856 as <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/kennegard_jesper00.html"… Kennegard</a> and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/borsheim_knut00.html">Kn… Borsheim</a> tied for 24th at even par. Washington claimed the team championship, while San Diego State's J.J. Spaun was crowned individual champion.<separator></separator>THE FIELD: Arizona, Arizona State, No. 18 Cal, Colorado State, CS Northridge, Florida State, Northwestern, Pepperdine, No. 10 San Diego State, San Jose State, UC Irvine, UNLV, USC and Washington State. *rankings based on March 27 Golfweek poll<separator></separator>TOURNAMENT HISTORY: ASU WINNERS: Fourteen ASU teams have won the Thunderbird Invitational, with ASU winning the title in 1984, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2008 and 2009.<separator></separator>PAST ASU INDIVIDUAL WINNERS: Eight Sun Devils have won the individual titles on nine occasions, with <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/mickelson_phil00.html">P… Mickelson</a> (1991 and 1992) the only multiple winner. Other Sun Devil individual winners include Mark Sollenberger (1974), Jim Carter (1984), Larry Barber (1994), <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/demsey_todd00.html">Todd Demsey</a> (1995), <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/quinney_jeff00.html">Jeff Quinney</a> (2000), <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/casey_paul00.html">Paul Casey</a> (2001) and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/canizares_alejandro00.ht… Canizares</a> (2003), <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/gross_stephan00.html">St… Gross</a> (2009-shared).<separator></separator>THE HEAD COACH: Coach <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/lein_randy00.html">Randy Lein</a>, a 2008 NGCA Hall of Fame inductee, notched the top team accolade in 1995-96 - the NCAA title - to his collection as the Sun Devils won the title in Chattanooga, Tenn., with a three-stroke victory over UNLV at the Honors Course. In his 19th season as ASU's coach in 2010-11, Lein has guided ASU to 43 tournament victories (including a school record six in 1995-96), eight Pac-10 titles, five NCAA West Regional wins and ten top-10 finishes at the NCAAs including the 1996 title. In addition, Lein has tutored NCAA medalists <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/demsey_todd00.html">Todd Demsey</a> (1994) and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/canizares_alejandro00.ht… Canizares</a> (2003) and 18 All-Americans (39 occasions): <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/demsey_todd00.html">Todd Demsey</a> (3), Chris Hanell (3), <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/casey_paul00.html">Paul Casey</a> (3), Cade Stone, Chris Stutts, Joey Snyder (2), Scott Johnson (2), Darren Angel (2), <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/quinney_jeff00.html">Jeff Quinney</a> (3), <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/jones_matt00.html">Matt Jones</a> (2), <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/reavie_chez00.html">Chez Reavie</a> (3), <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/canizares_alejandro00.ht… Canizares</a> (4), <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/lemke_niklas00.html">Nik… Lemke</a> (3), <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/alvaradoholley_benjamin0… Alvarado Holley</a> (2), <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/kennegard_jesper00.html"… Kennegard</a> (3), <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/borsheim_knut00.html">Kn… Borsheim</a> (1), <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/pinckney_scott00.html">S… Pinckney</a> (1) and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/gross_stephan00.html">St… Gross</a> (1). He has won Pac-10 Coach-of-the-Year five times (1993, 1995, 1996, 1999 and 2000) while at ASU and twice at USC (1980 and 1986). Lein (pronounced "Line") is a 1975 graduate of Cal State Northridge.<separator></separator>THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP UNDER LEIN: ASU has made 17 NCAA Championship appearances in Lein's 18 years (1993-2010), tied for the second-best mark in the nation with Florida. The Sun Devils finished first (1996), fourth (1995), fifth (1998 and 1999), tied for fifth (1997 and 2009), sixth (1993, 2001 and 2003), tied for eighth (2010), tied for ninth (1994), tied for 11th (2005), tied for 17th (2008), tied for 18th (2007), tied for 21st (2004) and tied for 25th (2001). He has guided ASU to 11 top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championship, behind only Oklahoma State (13), and six top-five finishes, behind only Oklahoma State (11), Georgia Tech (eight) and Clemson (seven) in that time.<separator></separator>Live scoring of the event, beginning April 9, will be available at <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/spec-rel/golfstat.com"> golfstat.com.</a><separator></separator>

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