Plenty of good numbers as men's golf opens season
The Arizona State University men's golf team (#5 Golfweek/#6 Golf World) opens its 2009-2010 season this weekend (Sept. 18-20) at the Olympia Fields Invitational near Chicago. Here are some nuggets and facts to know as the first swing happens...
NCAA HISTORY
The Sun Devils have won two NCAA titles, in 1990 under coach and 2002 ASU Hall of Fame inductee Steve Loy, and in 1996 under current head coach and 2008 National Golf Coaches Hall of Fame inductee Randy Lein. What is good to know is that in 1996, the team won the NCAA at the Honors Course in Tennessee. That is the site of the this year's NCAA Championships.
SUN DEVILS PROGRAM CHATTER
In the past 17 seasons (since Randy Lein took over at ASU) 12 different team champions have been crowned and Lein is the only coach to have two individual champions in that time (freshman Alejandro Canizares in 2003 and Todd Demsey in 1993). ASU also has finished in the top six nine times in those 17 years and has qualified for the NCAA Championships in 25 of the past 26 seasons, missing only in 2002, including each of the past seven seasons, tied for the fourth-best mark in the nation in that time.
THE HEAD COACH:
Randy Lein, who was inducted into the NGCA Hall of Fame in January of 2009, notched the top team accolade in collegiate golf 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 17th season as ASU's coach, 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 10 top-10 finishes at the NCAAs including the 1996 title. In addition, Lein has tutored NCAA medalists Todd Demsey (1994) and Alejandro Canizares (2003) and 18 All-Americans (39 occasions): Todd Demsey (3), Chris Hanell (3), Paul Casey (3), Cade Stone, Chris Stutts, Joey Snyder (2), Scott Johnson (2), Darren Angel (2), Jeff Quinney (3), Matt Jones (2), Chez Reavie (3), Alejandro Canizares (4), Niklas Lemke (3), Benjamin Alvarado Holley (2), Jesper Kennegard (2), Scott Pinckney, Knut Borsheim and Stephan Gross. 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.
IT ISN'T EASY
ASU has made the NCAA Championship in the past seven seasons and in 16 of 17 seasons under Randy Lein, but it sure isn't getting easier with the 30-team, three-round regional format. Using Golfweek's rankings prior to the NCAA Championship, nine top 30 teams did not go to Toledo last season, a list that included seventh-ranked Clemson, No. 18 LSU, No. 21 Indiana, No. 23 UNLV, No. 24 NC State, No. 25 San Diego State, No. 28 Ole Miss, No. 29 Colorado State and No. 30 Florida State.
IT ISN'T EASY, PART TWO
Of the 30 teams that made the 2009 NCAA Championships, only 15 played in the 2008 championship: UCLA, Stanford, USC, Oklahoma State, Washington, Georgia, Florida, Texas A&M, Alabama, Arizona State, Illinois, Texas, Wake Forest and Oregon.
ASU IN THE REGIONALS
With the May 14-16 victories by both the team and Jesper Kennegard at the 2009 West Regional, ASU has won or tied for the title in a NCAA Regional six times. ASU tied with Arizona in 1991 and tied with New Mexico in 1998. It won the title outright in 1995, 1999, 2001 and now 2009. Sun Devil Paul Casey won the 1998 individual title outright followed by Jeff Quinney (1999), Benjamin Alvarado Holley (2007) and then Jesper Kennegard this season. Matt Jones shared medalist honors in 2001.
ASU'S BEST FRESHMEN
Chan Kim posted a 72.20 stroke average in 2008-2009, just .55 off Alejandro Canizares' 2002-03 ASU freshman mark of 71.65 when he won the NCAA title.
ASU FRESHMAN SCORING AVERAGES (1985-2009)
1. Alejandro Canizares, 8 events, 2002-03, 71.65
2. Todd Demsey, 15, 1991-92, 72.10
3. Phil Mickelson, 14, 1988-89, 72.14
4. Jesper Kennegard, 12, 2007-08, 72.16
5. Chan Kim, 8 2008-09, 72.20
6. Paul Casey, 12, 1997-98, 72.30
7. Benjamin Alvarado Holley, 10, 2005-06, 72.50
8. Jeff Quinney, 11, 1997-98, 72.57
9. Chez Reavie, 10, 2000-01, 72.58
10. Tristan Bierenbroodspot, 7, 2006-07, 72.64
IMPRESSIVE
Randy Lein has recruited a European Amateur champion (Stephan Gross in 2008), a NCAA champion (Alejandro Canizares in 2003), a U.S. Amateur champion (Jeff Quinney in 2000), a U.S. Public Links champion (Chez Reavie in 2001), an Arizona Amateur champion (Jesse Mueller, 2001) and an English Amateur champion (Paul Casey, 1998 and 1999) to ASU.
START IT OVER
Back in 2002, Randy Lein saw ASU's 18-year NCAA championship consecutive streak snapped in a season that had injuries and bad luck. ASU is back in the saddle with seven straight, and to show you how competitive the NCAA men's golf champioships is, that streak already is tied for the sixth-best active streak, as Arizona (1987-2007) had a 21-year streak snapped in 2008 after failing to post a .500 record and not make regionals, while Georgia Tech did not qualify out of regional action in 2008 after making the NCAAs for 10 straight years (1998-2007). Only six teams have made the NCAAs in each of the past five seasons.
CONSECUTIVE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCES
1. Oklahoma State, 1947-2009, 63
2. Georgia, 1998-2009, 12
3. Florida, 2001-2009, 9
T4. Arizona State, 2003-2009, 7
T4. UCLA, 2003-2009, 7
6. Wake Forest, 2005-2009, 5
NCAA CHAMPS FROM ASU/PAC-10
ASU has had four NCAA medalists on six occasions: Jim Carter (1983), Phil Mickelson (1989, 1990, 1992), Todd Demsey (1993) and Alejandro Canizares (2003). Other Pac-10 winners include: Frank Tatum Jr. of Stanford (1942), Scott Simpson of USC (1976 and 1977), Ron Commans of USC (1981), Tiger Woods of Stanford (1996), James Lepp of Washington (2005), Jamie Lovemark of USC (2007) and Kevin Chappell of UCLA (2008).
TOP 10
Coach Lein's 10 top-10 NCAA finishes in his 17 years is second only to Clemson and Oklahoma State for the most in that span. In that time, there have been 12 different NCAA team champions, while ASU and Oklahoma State are the only schools to have two NCAA medalists in his 17 years. ASU has finished in the top six nine times under Randy Lein.
UNDER LEIN
ASU has finished first (1996), fourth (1995), fifth (1998 and 1999), tied for fifth (1997 and 2009), sixth (1993, 2001 and 2003), 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) under 17th-year coach Randy Lein in the NCAA Championship.
ASU NCAA INDIVIDUAL TOP-10 FINISHES UNDER COACH LEIN
Jesper Kennegard (So.), T9th, 2009, Toledo, Ohio
Alejandro Canizares (Fr.), 1st, 2003, Stillwater, Okla.
Chez Reavie (Jr.), 9th, 2003, Stillwater, Okla.
Chez Reavie (Fr.), T4th, 2001, Durham, N.C.
Paul Casey (So.), 4th, 1999, Chaska, Minn.
Darren Angel (Jr.), T7th, 1998, Albuquerque, N.M.
Scott Johnson (Sr.), T10th, 1997, Chicago, Ill.
Chris Hanell (Sr.), T10th, 1997, Chicago, Ill.
Darren Angel (Fr.), T3rd, 1996, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Joey Snyder (Jr.), T5th, 1995, Columbus, Ohio
Scott Johnson (So.), T8th, 1995, Columbus, Ohio
Todd Demsey (Jr.), T7th, 1994, Dallas, Texas
Chris Hanell (Fr.), T10th, 1994, Dallas, Texas
Todd Demsey (So.), 1st, 1993, Lexington, Ky.
CHAMPS FROM THE PAC-10
Pac-10 teams ASU (1996), Cal (2004), Stanford (2007 and 1994) and UCLA have won NCAA men's golf titles in the past 17 years. Other Pac-10 teams to win the title are: Stanford (1938, 1939, 1941, 1942, 1946, 1953), UCLA (1988) and Arizona (1992).
UNOFFICIALLY
The NCAA does not keep stroke averages as official records, but research has come up with the following that will have to suffice as the top 15 single-season stroke averages in NCAA history through the 2008-2009 season.
NCAA SEASON STROKE AVERAGE
1. Bill Haas, Wake Forest, 2003-2004, 68.93
2. Ryan Moore, UNLV, 2004-2005, 69.29
3. Ryan Moore, UNLV, 2003-2004, 69.38
4. Bryce Molder, Georgia Tech, 2000-2001, 69.43
5. Troy Merritt, Boise State, 2007-2008, 69.53
6. Charles Howell, Okla. St., 1999-2000, 69.57
7. Chris Nallen, Arizona, 2003-2004, 69.79
8. Daniel Summerhays, BYU, 2006-2007, 69.83
T9. Graeme McDowell, UAB, 2001-2002, 69.87
T9. Paul Casey, Arizona St., 1999-2000, 69.87
11. Nick Watney, Fresno St., 2002-2003, 69.93
T12. Spencer Levin, New Mexico, 2004-2005, 69.95
T12. Phil Mickelson, Arizona St., 1991-1992, 69.95
14. Mike Van Sickle, Marquette, 2008-2009, 70.00
15. Niklas Lemke, Arizona St., 2006-2007, 70.03
SCHOOLS WITH MOST NCAA INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS
Yale, 13 NCAA champions, Tom Aycock, 1929
Harvard, 8, J.W. Hubbell, 1916
Houston, 8, Billy Ray Brown, 1982
Oklahoma State, 8, Jonathan Moore, 2007
Princeton, 7, G.T. Dunlap, 1931
Arizona State, 6, Alejandro Canizares, 2003
Texas, 6, Justin Leonard, 1994
Ohio State, 5, Clark Burroughs, 1985
USC, 4, Jamie Lovemark, 2007
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCES
ASU has made 16 NCAA Championship appearances in Randy Lein's 17 years (1993-2009), tied for the second-best mark in the nation. Oklahoma State leads the way with 17, while Arizona and Florida also have 16 in that time. Clemson, Georgia Tech and Wake Forest have 14 each. North Carolina and Texas have made it 13 times, while Auburn, Georgia, New Mexico and UNLV have done it a dozen times. UCLA is next with 11 appeareances.
FAST FACT
ASU is the only school to win both the men's and women's golf titles in the same season (1990).
REGIONAL STREAK
Counting its appearance in the 21 years a NCAA Regional has been staged (1989-2008), ASU has made 26 straight NCAA Tournament appearances, the sixth-longest active streak in the nation. ASU has advanced to the NCAA Championships 25 of the past 26 seasons (1984-2009), missing only in 2002, and in 44 of the past 46 seasons (1964-2009), missing prior to 2002 in 1983.
LONGEST ACTIVE NCAA POSTSEASON STREAKS
Oklahoma State, 1947-09, 63
USC, 1973-09, 37
Texas, 1978-09, 32
Clemson, 1982-09, 28
Arizona State, 1984-09, 26
Georgia Tech, 1985-09, 25
*Note: List includes NCAA Championship prior to 1989 and reaching at least NCAA Regionals from 1989-present.
LEIN IN TOP TEN
Randy Lein has finished in the top ten at the NCAA Championship 10 times in his 17 years at ASU, behind only Oklahoma State (12) and Clemson (11).
NCAA TOP-10 FINISHES (1993-2009)
School (National Titles), NCAA Top 10 Finishes
1. Oklahoma State (1995, 2000, 2006), 12
2. Clemson (2003), 11
T3. Arizona State (1996), 10
T3. Georgia Tech, 10
5. Florida (1993, 2001), 8
T6. Texas, 7
T6. Georgia, 7
T6. UNLV (1998), 7
T9. Arizona (1992), 6
T9. UCLA (2008), 6
LEIN IN TOP FIVE AT ASU
Coach Randy Lein has finished in the top five at the NCAA Championship six times in his 17 years, behind only Oklahoma State (10), Georgia Tech (seven) and Clemson (seven) in that time. Texas also has six top-five finishes, while Stanford, Georgia and Florida have five each.
ACADEMICALLY
Forty six players have earned their undergraduate degrees under 17th-year head coach Randy Lein including former All-Americans such as Alejandro Canizares (B.I.S., Landscape Architecture/Sociology in 2006 and 2003 NCAA champion), Todd Demsey (B.A., Psychology in 1995 and 1993 NCAA Champion) and Jeff Quinney (B.S. Finance in 2002 and 2000 U.S. Amateur Champion).
2007-Jamie Lovemark, USC
2006-Jonathan Moore, Oklahoma State
2003-Alejandro Canizares, Arizona State
1998-James McLean, Minnesota
1989-Phil Mickelson, Arizona State
1982-Billy Ray Brown, Houston
1974-Curtis Strange, Wake Forest
1971-Ben Crenshaw, Texas