No. 3 Men's Golf — sans JB and Preston — goes #TexasToTempe

The highest ranked NCAA team in Sun Devil Athletics -- the No. 3 men's golf squad -- had a great tournament in Florida last week and now turns it around for a trip to Texas on Monday and Tuesday this week, but will do it without two of the best swingers in college golf.

The third-ranked Sun Devils finished second at the Valspar Collegiate Invitational held at the Floridian National Golf Club in Palm City. Second-ranked Texas won the title, with third-ranked ASU finishing second in a 16-team field that included five top-10 teams.

The Sun Devils are 88-23-4 with team wins at the Cabo Collegiate (March 2-4) and the Sahalee Players Championship (Sept. 7-8).

ASU will play 54 holes at the Maridoe Intercollegiate in Carrollton, Texas, but will be without two of the best players in college golf. Josele Ballester, the 2024 U.S. Amateur champion, is preparing for the Masters, while senior Preston Summerhays is playing in the Valero Open in Houston.

ASU will go with a lineup of Fifa Laopakdee, Peer Wernicke, Nicholas Prieto, Michael Mjaaseth and Connor Williams.

About that Cabo Collegiate win
ASU was a warm squad after an impressive win at the 14-team Cabo Intercollegiate. Fifa Laopakdee – just a sophomore -- led the Sun Devils to the five-stroke Cabo Collegiate win, which marked the 25th Sun Devil team win under Matt Thurmond in his nine seasons.ASU went wire-to-wire over a field that included seven top-25 teams. Laopakdee shot 8-under 205 (68-69-68) and tied for the top spot but lost in a playoff, while junior Michael Mjaaseth tied for fifth is at 5-under 208 (68-68-72).

MARIDOE INTERCOLLEGIATE
MARIDOE GOLF CLUB
CARROLLTON, TEXAS
PAR 71/7,569 YARDS
13 TEAMS (CLIPPD SCORING)
Arizona State (3)
Oklahoma State (4)
Oklahoma (7)
Alabama (14)
Baylor
Boston College
Elon
Louisiana Tech
North Texas
Sam Houston
ULM
UNCG
UTRGV

SUN DEVIL LINEUP (CLIPPD RANKING)
Fifa Laopakdee (58)
Peer Wernicke (108)
Nicholas Prieto (313)
Michael Mjaaseth (39)
Connor Williams (29)