ASU Men’s Golf: 22nd-ranked Sun Devils win Thunderbird for second year in a row

Arizona State men’s golf took home the 2018 Thunderbird Invitational for the second straight year at ASU Karsten Golf Course. This is the Sun Devils’ fourth win of the past five years at their home tournament.

The Sun Devils beat out the likes of defending National Champion, Oklahoma and snapped No. 1 overall, Oklahoma State’s seven tournament win streak.

No. 22 ASU sunk a record setting 11 birdies on the back nine of Karsten to outlast UNLV by one stroke. Overall, the Sun Devils finished at 22-under, followed by the Runnin’ Rebels at 21-under par.

Blake Wagoner led the way for the Sun Devils, posting a 205, good enough to finish fourth at 8-under after posting all three rounds in the 60s. ASU also had another top ten finisher, Chun An Yu who finished T8 at 5-under par. Mason Anderson and Jino Sohn both finished T15 at 2-under par. Koichiro Ishika rounded out the Arizona State squad, finishing T34 at 3-over par.

Shintaro Ban, UNLV, and Yannik Paul, Colorado, split the medalist honors after both finished with a 202, translating to 11-under.

With this Sun Devil victory, it is only the second time in the past 14 seasons in which Arizona State has won three tournaments in the same year. ASU also took home the Maui Jim Intercollegiate in the fall and the Bandon Dunes Intercollegiate last month.

Matt Thurmond and his team will look to carry their victorious momentum into the Pac-12 championships at Rolling Hills Estates, CA from April 23-25.