Jared Cohen
The NCAA golf tournament has made it’s way to Tempe at ASU’s Karsten Golf Course for the regional round of the tournament. Fourteen teams and five individuals make up the field including four conference champions and three Pac-12 teams including the home team ASU plus Arizona and UCLA.
“It’s a big deal to be able to host,” said ASU golf head coach Tim Mickelson. “None of the guys have played in the post season yet so we have five guys playing in their first postseason at home which is big because we know the golf course. We have that slight advantage over the other teams.”
ASU coming off a very solid 2013 season comes into the regional as a nine seed. Mickelson knows once you get to this stage it is not easy but he believes their home course advantage could have them as the equivalent to a higher seed.
“The seedings are based on national rankings and they have us as a nine side here but I think because we play the golf course and usually play it fairly well, we’re probably the five or six seed,” Mickelson explained. “We still have to pull off a minor upset but if the guys play well, it will put them in a good position to advance.”
The top five teams in the standings and the top individual not on those teams from each regional will advance to the finals, which will be held May 28-June 2, at the Capital City Club Crabapple Course in Atlanta, Georgia.
While it will be a total team effort to get ASU to Atlanta for the finals, they will rely heavily on one player who was named the Pac-12’s freshman of the year, John Rahm from Spain.
“John Rahm has had a great year,” mentioned Mickelson. “To be the Pac-12 freshman of the year is a great accomplishment. I am happy for him but I am happy for everyone on the team for getting the opportunity to play in the postseason because everybody had to contribute to get us back in the postseason.”
Admission is free all weekend long at Karsten Golf Course for the NCAA Regionals. Some of the nation’s top collegiate golfers will be on display and will be playing at a very high level to ensure their spot in the finals.
For a list of tee times, click here.
