Arizona State, Preston Summerhays claim ASU Thunderbird titles
April 16, 2023 | by Jim Young of AmateurGolf.com
see also: Preston Summerhays, View results for ASU Thunderbird Collegiate, Papago Golf Course
Summerhays birdies the last two holes to complete a furious Sun Devil back nine rally at Papago Golf Club
Trailing by seven shots on the back nine in the final round of its own tournament, Arizona State had some major work to do Saturday at Papago Golf Club in Phoenix.
The third-ranked Sun Devils met the challenge head on and when sophomore Preston Summerhays rolled birdies on the final two holes for a round of 66, Arizona State had completed a furious rally to win the ASU Thunderbird Collegiate by a single stroke over rival Arizona.
At 13-under 200 (66-68-66), Summerhays claimed medalist honors by four shots over a trio of Arizona Wildcats, Chase Sienkiewicz, Sam Sommerhauser and Zach Pollo, who was playing as an individual. Summerhays joins a list of past Thunderbird championship that includes Jon Rahm, Phil Mickelson, Paul Casey, Steve Jones and Paul Casey, to name a few.
"With everyone watching, you need someone to step up on the back nine and Preston did," said ASU head coach Matt Thurmond. "With everyone watching and following that group, we made the clutch putts at the end. It felt like everything was going Arizona's way early but I just tried to keep my energy up and make sure they knew we still had a chance."
The Sun Devils trailed by as many as seven strokes on the back nine, only to rattle off 15 birdies on the inward nine, including five from Summerhays and four from Michael Mjaaseth, to claim the team title.
"I got off to a pretty slow start, even through nine, but got it going on the back," said Summerhays, "This event is going to play a big role in the events coming up. We've been good but haven't gotten our wins yet. I think we're peaking at the right time."
The Sun Devils finished at 28-under par, one stroke ahead of Arizona and eight clear of second-ranked North Carolina.
Arizona State and Arizona hope to take its momentum north to the Pac-12 Championships, which are scheduled to begin on Friday, April 28 at Stanford Golf Course.
Arizona State Athletic Communications contributed to this report
The third-ranked Sun Devils met the challenge head on and when sophomore Preston Summerhays rolled birdies on the final two holes for a round of 66, Arizona State had completed a furious rally to win the ASU Thunderbird Collegiate by a single stroke over rival Arizona.
"With everyone watching, you need someone to step up on the back nine and Preston did," said ASU head coach Matt Thurmond. "With everyone watching and following that group, we made the clutch putts at the end. It felt like everything was going Arizona's way early but I just tried to keep my energy up and make sure they knew we still had a chance."
The Sun Devils trailed by as many as seven strokes on the back nine, only to rattle off 15 birdies on the inward nine, including five from Summerhays and four from Michael Mjaaseth, to claim the team title.
"I got off to a pretty slow start, even through nine, but got it going on the back," said Summerhays, "This event is going to play a big role in the events coming up. We've been good but haven't gotten our wins yet. I think we're peaking at the right time."
The Sun Devils finished at 28-under par, one stroke ahead of Arizona and eight clear of second-ranked North Carolina.
Arizona State and Arizona hope to take its momentum north to the Pac-12 Championships, which are scheduled to begin on Friday, April 28 at Stanford Golf Course.
Arizona State Athletic Communications contributed to this report
Results: ASU Thunderbird Collegiate
| Place | Player | Location | Pts | Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scottsdale, AZ | 700 | 66-68-66=200 | |
| T2 | Carmichael, CA | 500 | 68-67-69=204 | |
| T2 | Rocklin, CA | 500 | 65-70-69=204 | |
| T2 | Rocklin, CA | 500 | 67-67-70=204 | |
| 5 | San Antonio, TX | 400 | 66-68-71=205 |
About the ASU Thunderbird Collegiate
54 hole men's college tournament hosted by Arizona State University. Team (best four scores out of five players each round) and individual competitions.
Most Popular Articles
Rory McIlroy Wins 2026 Seminole Pro-Member With Dad Gerry
Mar 2, 2026Rory McIlroy added another trophy to the mantle on golf’s most exclusive Monday, teaming with father Gerry at Seminole Golf Club.
U.S. Open Qualifying 2026: Local & Final Qualifying Sites for Shinnecock
Feb 19, 2026The road to Shinnecock Hills begins in April as 110 local qualifying sites and 13 final qualifying venues are set.
FINAL RESULTS: Gasparilla Invitational 2026
Feb 21, 2026Hayes Brown wins Gasparilla at 2-under, edging Peyton White by one, while Jeff Frazier claims the Senior title at Palma Ceia.
Yunseo Yang Wins Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific at Royal Wellington Golf Club
Feb 15, 2026Yunseo Yang makes history as Korea’s first WAAP champion, earning major exemptions with a dominant win.
If You’re Entering the U.S. Open, Read This First: 2026 Qualifying Explained
Feb 16, 2026110 locals. One Longest Day. Zero margin. Here’s what you need to know before filing for the 2026 U.S. Open.