The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
ASU Thunderbird Invitational
No. 11 Men’s Golf preview: ASU Thunderbird Invitational
04.13.2023 | Men's Golf
The Longhorns compete at Papago Golf Course in Phoenix on Friday and Saturday.
When: Friday, April 14 – Saturday, April 15
Format: 36 holes of stroke play on Friday, 18 holes on Sunday
Where: Papago Golf Course (Phoenix, Arizona)
Course Info: Par-71; 7,503 yards
Live Scoring: https://results.golfstat.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=team&tid=25779
Last Time Out: Texas finished in sixth place in the team standings at the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational (April 1-2) at Forest Hills Golf Club (Augusta, Ga.). The Longhorns fired a 54-hole total of 13-under-par 851 (284-289-278) to finish just two strokes out of fourth place. The 15-team field featured six teams in the latest Bushnell/Golfweek Division I Coaches poll. Brian Stark (71-70-69) and Christiaan Maas (69-73-68) each tied for eighth place in the individual standings with three-round totals of 6-under-par 210.
Solid Spring Campaign: Since the start of the spring semester, the Longhorns have played their best golf of the 2022-23 season. Texas opened its spring campaign with a team title and 13-stroke victory at the Southwestern Invitational (Jan. 30-Feb. 1) in Westlake Village, Calif. The Longhorns followed that performance with a 4-1-1 match play victory against No. 11 Georgia Tech as part of the Big 12/ACC Showdown in Hawaii (Feb. 10). UT has added a runner-up finish at the Southern Highlands Collegiate (Feb. 26-28) in Las Vegas, a third-place team showing at the Valspar Collegiate Invitational (Mar. 27-28) in Palm City, Fla., and a sixth-place finish at the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational (April 1-2).
Southwestern Invitational Champs: Texas earned a wire-to-wire victory at the Southwestern Invitational (Jan. 30-Feb. 1) at North Ranch Country Club (Westlake Village, Calif.). The Longhorns posted a three-round total of 14-under-par 850 (270-290-290) to win by 13 strokes over runner-up and tourney host No. 15 Pepperdine at 1-under-par 863, while No. 5 Arizona State was third at 4-over-par 868. Keaton Vo placed second individually at 8-under-par 208 (67-71-70), just one stroke behind medalist Michael Brennan of Wake Forest at 9-under-par 207. Jacob Sosa, who posted a school-record 18-hole score of 11-under-par 61 in the opening round, finished in third place at 7-under-par 209 (61-74-74), and Christiaan Maas tied for fifth at 4-under-par 212 (68-70-74).
A Round for the Ages: Freshman Jacob Sosa began the spring season with a school-record 18-hole score of 11-under-par 61 in the opening round of the Southwestern Invitational (Jan. 30) at North Ranch Country Club. The 61 eclipsed the previous school record of 63 set by four players previously, including Gavin Hall (2016 Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate third round), Brandon Stone (2012 Carpet Capital Collegiate second round), David Gossett (2000 NCAA Championship first round) and Justin Leonard (1994 NCAA Championship third round). Sosa recorded three eagles and five birdies without a bogey during his round. His score of 61 also was a tournament and course record and the lowest 18-hole round ever played at North Ranch Country Club.
Match Play Win Against Georgia Tech: The Longhorns claimed a 4-1-1 victory against No. 11 Georgia Tech (Feb. 10) at Hapuna Golf Course (Kamuela, Hawaii). Texas and Georgia Tech were two of 20 teams who originally came to Hawaii to participate in the Amer Ari Invitational on Feb. 8-10, but the tourney was canceled due to high winds. Official match-play competitions were organized for Texas-Georgia Tech and Texas Tech-North Carolina. The Longhorns received individual match wins from Travis Vick, Christiaan Maas, Jacob Sosa and Tommy Morrison.
Defending National Champs: Texas claimed its fourth NCAA team title in program history last year with a dramatic 3-2 victory over tourney host Arizona State in the championship match (Scottsdale, Ariz.). The Longhorns have captured NCAA team championships in 1971, 1972, 2012 and 2022.
15 Straight: UT's streak of 15 consecutive NCAA Championship appearances is the longest current streak in NCAA Division I men's golf. Here's a look at the longest active NCAA Championship appearances entering the 2022-23 season.
|
Number of Consecutive NCAA Champ Appearances |
School |
|
15 |
TEXAS |
|
11 |
Oklahoma |
|
9 |
Oklahoma State |
|
8 |
Vanderbilt |
|
7 |
Arizona State |
Advancing to Match Play: Not only has Texas been a consistent force in advancing to the NCAA Championships, the Longhorns have produced solid results while at the national championship. In the last 10 opportunities (dating back to the 2012 NCAA Championships), UT has advanced to the Match Play quarterfinals stage (final eight teams) a total of SEVEN times. Texas is the only school to advance to Match Play at least SEVEN times in the last 10 opportunities (2020 tourney was canceled due to COVID-19).
|
NCAA Match Play Appearances in Last 10 Tournaments (2012-22) |
School |
|
7 (2012-13-15-16-18-19-22) |
TEXAS |
|
6 (2016-17-18-19-21-22) |
Oklahoma |
|
6 (2014-17-18-19-21-22) |
Oklahoma State |
|
6 (2015-16-17-19-21-22) |
Vanderbilt |
The Fields Factor: Now in his 26th season as head coach at Texas, John Fields has guided the Longhorns to 20 NCAA Championship appearances in his 24 opportunities (no NCAA tourney in 2020 due to COVID-19). Under Fields' leadership, UT has posted 10 top-five finishes at the NCAA Championship, including NCAA team titles in 2012 and 2022 and runner-up showings in 2016 and 2019. Prior to his time at Texas, Fields led the University of New Mexico to nine NCAA Championship appearances in 10 seasons (1988-97). Fields was named Golfweek's Men's National Coach of the Year last season for the third time during his time in Austin (2012, 2016 and 2022). He also has claimed Big 12 Coach of the Year accolades nine times during his 25-year tenure at Texas (2002, 2003, 2004, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2022).
Team Rankings: Texas is No. 11 in the latest Bushnell/Golfweek Division I Coaches poll (Mar. 24). The Longhorns are No. 13 in the most recent GolfStat national rankings (April 12).
The Tourney Field: The 12-team field at the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational includes (rankings reflect Bushnell/Golfweek Division I Coaches poll): Arizona, No. 2 Arizona State (host), No. 24 Baylor, New Mexico, No. 4 North Carolina, Notre Dame, No. 17 Oklahoma State, Oregon State, SMU, No. 11 TEXAS, No. 3 Texas Tech and Utah.
The Texas Lineup: UT will be represented by the following seven players at the ASU Thunderbird Invitational:
- Brian Stark (Gr., 70.92 avg.)
- Christiaan Maas (Fr., 69.91 avg.)
- Tommy Morrison (Fr., 71.33 avg.)
- Jacob Sosa (Fr., 71.78 avg.)
- Travis Vick (Sr., 72.55 avg.)
Individual) Keaton Vo (Fr., 72.26 avg.)
Individual) Mason Nome (Sr., 73.20 avg.)
Inside the Texas Lineup
Brian Stark: Has competed in each of UT's first five events this spring after enrolling at Texas prior to the spring semester and sports a 70.92 stroke average (second on the team) … graduate transfer who spent his previous three seasons at Oklahoma State … No. 35 in current World Amateur Golf Rankings (April 12) … No. 12 in the current PGA TOUR University class of 2023 rankings (April 12) … recorded his best finish as a Longhorn with a tie for fourth at the Valspar Collegiate Invitational (Mar. 27-28) at 9-under-par 204 (68-71-65) … his 6-under 65 in the final round at the Valspar Collegiate marked his low 18-hole score at Texas … tied for eighth at the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational (April 1-2) at 6-under-par 210 (71-70-69) … tied for 22nd at the Southern Highlands (Feb. 26-28) at 2-under-par 214 (72-68-74) … made his debut for the Longhorns at the Southwestern Invitational (Jan. 30-Feb. 1) … earned third-team All-America honors as a junior in 2022 from both the GCAA and Golfweek … two-time GCAA All-America Scholar (as a sophomore and junior) … claimed All-Big 12 and Academic All-Big 12 honors as a junior … tied for 15th at the 2022 NCAA Championship at 6-over-par 286 … had a season-best tie for third place at The Carmel Cup at 5-under-par 211 (73-70-68) in 2021-22 … also placed 13th at the Big 12 Championship and tied for seventh at the NCAA Columbus Regional in his junior year … first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection as a sophomore in 2020-21 … advanced to the quarterfinals of match play at the 2021 U.S. Amateur.
Christiaan Maas: Has competed in each of UT's first 10 events and boasts a team-best 69.91 stroke average … No. 6 in the most recent GolfStat national individual rankings (April 12) … No. 1 in the latest Palmer Cup rankings for the International team (April 13) … No. 22 in current World Amateur Golf Rankings (April 12) … named to the 2023 Ben Hogan Award watch list (Jan. 27) and the 2023 Fred Haskins Award first spring watch list (Mar. 10) … member of the Golf RSA (South Africa) National squad … during his eight stroke-play tourney appearances, he has registered five top-10 and eight top-20 individual finishes … has shot par or better in 17 of his 22 stroke-play rounds this year, including 10 rounds in the 60s ... earned a collegiate-best individual runner-up finish at the Southern Highlands Collegiate (Feb. 26-28) with a 10-under-par 206 (66-69-71) … tied for eighth at the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational (April 1-2) at 6-under-par 210 (69-73-68) … tied for ninth at the Valspar Collegiate Invitational (Mar. 27-28) with a 6-under-par 207 (69-71-67) … posted a 2&1 win over Christo Lamprecht in the match-play event against Georgia Tech (Feb. 10) … tied for fifth at the Southwestern Invitational (Jan. 30-Feb. 1) with a 4-under-par 212 (68-70-74) … tied for 17th at the DP World Tour's Alfred Dunhill Championship (Dec. 8-11) in Melalane, South Africa with a 9-under-par 279 (71-70-70-68) … played alongside Ernie Els in the opening two rounds at the Alfred Dunhill Championship … also made the cut and tied for 35th at the DP World Tour's Investec South African Open Championship (Dec. 1-4) in Johannesburg at 5-under-par 283 (69-65-72-77) … tallied a 3-2 individual record at the Big 12 Match Play Championship (Oct. 17-19) … tied for third at the Ben Hogan Collegiate Invitational (Oct. 3-4) with a 6-under-par 204 (70-67-67) … finished 12th at The Stephens Cup (Oct. 10-12) at 4-under-par 212 (69-71-72) … in his collegiate debut, tied for 20th at the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational (Sept. 16-18) at 4-over-par 214 (72-72-70) … competed for South Africa in the prestigious 2022 World Amateur Team Championship (Aug. 31-Sept. 3) in Paris … advanced to Match Play at the 2022 U.S. Amateur … tied for 11th in stroke play at the 2022 U.S. Junior Amateur … claimed a five-shot victory (65-70-67-68=270, -14) to win the prestigious Brabazon Trophy at Saunton Golf Club in England in May 2022 … posted six wins during the 2021 season, including the Cape Province Open and the South African Amateur Championship … 2020 and 2021 Silver Salver Champion.
Tommy Morrison: Enrolled at Texas prior to the start of the spring 2023 semester … has competed in four of UT's first five events this spring after enrolling at Texas prior to the spring semester and sports a 71.33 stroke average … tied for ninth at the Southern Highlands Collegiate (Feb. 26-28) with a 7-under-par 209 (70-70-69) while competing as an individual … made his collegiate debut in the match against Georgia Tech (Feb. 10) and earned a 2&1 victory over Ben Reuter … posted a runner-up showing in the 2022 North & South Amateur at Pinehurst No. 2 in July … finished fourth in the inaugural Elite Amateur Cup after competing in six of the seven championships (series features the Sunnehanna Amateur, Northeast Amateur, Trans-Miss Amateur, Southern Amateur, Pacific Coast Amateur, North & South Amateur and the Western Amateur) … paired with former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and shot a best-ball score of 9-under-par 63 (Oct. 11) at Winter Creek Golf Club in Blanchard, Okla., to tie for medalist honors and earn a qualifying spot for the 2023 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship (set for May 20-24 at Kiawah's Ocean Course) … placed fourth at the 2022 Junior Orange Bowl International … tied for sixth at the 2021 Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship … won the 2020 Southern Junior championship.
Jacob Sosa: Has competed in eight of UT's first 10 events and boasts a 71.78 stroke average … No. 71 in the most recent GolfStat national individual rankings (April 12) … in his six stroke-play tourney appearances, he has registered three top-20 individual finishes … earned a collegiate-best third-place individual finish at the Southwestern Invitational (Jan. 30-Feb. 1) at 7-under-par 209 (61-74-74) … set a UT program record for low 18-hole score with an 11-under-par 61 in the opening round of the Southwestern Invitational (Jan. 30) … had three eagles, five birdies and no bogeys during that round … tied for 16th at the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational (April 1-2) at 3-under-par 213 (72-72-69) … posted a 1-up victory over Connor Howe in the match-play event against Georgia Tech (Feb. 10) … tied for 19th at the Southern Highlands Collegiate (Feb. 26-28) with a 3-under-par 213 (71-70-72) … in his collegiate debut, tied for 31st at the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational (Sept. 16-18) at 6-over-par 216 (74-72-70) … led Austin Westlake High School to three consecutive Texas Class 6A state team titles (no tourney in 2020 due to COVID) … posted individual finishes of third, runner-up and tied for fifth during his three state championship tournaments … tabbed the No. 3 recruit in the state of Texas and No. 14 nationally by the AJGA in the class of 2022 … first-team Rolex Junior All-American in 2021 … member of the West Team at the 2021 Wyndham Cup … placed third at the 2020 Texas State Amateur and earned the win at the 2019 Texas State Junior Championship.
Travis Vick: Has competed in each of UT's first 10 events and sports a 72.55 stroke average … No. 18 in current World Amateur Golf Rankings (April 12) … No. 10 in the current PGA TOUR University class of 2023 rankings (April 12) … named to the 2023 Ben Hogan Award watch list (Jan. 27) … three-time All-American … low amateur at the 2022 U.S. Open (70-69-76-73=288, +8) … semifinalist at the 2022 Western Amateur … one of 12 men's players who competed for the American squad at the 2022 Arnold Palmer Cup (July 1-3 in Vandoeuvres, Switzerland) … posted a 1-up win over Ross Steelman in the match-play event against Georgia Tech (Feb. 10) … tallied a 3-1-1 individual record at the Big 12 Match Play Championship (Oct. 17-19) … earned a 3&2 win against Texas Tech's Ludvig Aberg (current No. 1 in WAGR) at Big 12 Match Play … placed ninth at The Stephens Cup (Oct. 10-12) at 6-under-par 210 (69-72-69) … claimed a 1-up victory over Stanford's Michael Thorbjornsen (current No. 2 in WAGR) during the third-place match at The Stephens Cup … earned second-team All-America honors during his junior season in 2022 (Golfweek, GCAA) … posted a team-best 70.84 stroke average and registered three top-five, six top-10 and nine top-20 individual finishes in 12 stroke-play events during the 2021-22 season … went 2-1 during the 2022 NCAA Match Play, including a 4&3 win over Reid Davenport (Vanderbilt) in the semifinals and registered the clinching 1-up victory against Arizona State's Cameron Sisk in the final … collegiate-best second-place individual finish at the 2022 NCAA Norman Regional (May 16-18) at 10-under-par 206 (67-67-72) … semifinalist at the 2021 U.S. Amateur … 2021 honorable mention All-American (Golfweek, GCAA) … 2020 honorable mention All-American (Golfweek).
Keaton Vo: Has competed in nine of UT's first 10 events and boasts a 72.26 stroke average … earned a collegiate-best second-place individual finish at the Southwestern Invitational (Jan. 30-Feb. 1) at 8-under-par 208 (67-71-70) … tallied a career-low 18-hole score of 5-under-par 67 in the opening round of the Southwestern Invitational (Jan. 30) … tied for 19th at the Southern Highlands Collegiate (Feb. 26-28) with a 3-under-par 213 (74-70-69) … tied for fourth in the stroke-play portion of the East Lake Cup (Oct. 24) with a 2-under-par 70 … posted a 4-0-1 individual record at the Big 12 Match Play Championship (Oct. 17-19) … medalist at the 2022 U.S. Junior Amateur with a 36-hole score of 9-under-par 134 (69-65) … 2022 Texas Class 5A state individual champion and led Anderson High School to the team championship … tabbed the No. 1 recruit in the state of Texas and No. 7 nationally by the AJGA in the class of 2022 … three-time Rolex Junior All-American … member of the West Team at the 2020 Wyndham Cup … registered seven top-10 finishes on the AJGA Tour, including a tie for second at the 2021 Jackie Burke Invitational … won individual titles at the 2020 George Hannon Junior Invitational and the 2019 AJGA Junior All-Star Invitational at Lake Oconee.
Mason Nome: Has competed in five of UT's first 10 events and sports a 73.20 stroke average … No. 98 in current World Amateur Golf Rankings (April 12) … posted a 2&1 victory against Stanford's Barclay Brown during the third-place match at The Stephens Cup (Oct. 12) … 2022 PING All-Central Region team selection … posted a 72.05 stroke average and registered four top-10 and six top-20 individual finishes in 12 stroke-play events during the 2021-22 season … went 1-1-1 during the 2022 NCAA Match Play, including the clinching 2-up win over Jonas Baumgartner (Oklahoma State) in the quarterfinals … posted a season-best tie for sixth place at the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational (April 2-3) at 9-under-par 207 (69-68-70) … equaled his season-best finish with a tie for sixth at the Big 12 Championship (April 25-27) at 3-under-par 213 (72-70-71) … named to the Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team … posted a perfect 5-0-0 individual record at the 2021 Big 12 Match Play Championship (Oct. 11-13) … … recorded a hole-in-hole during the final round of the 2022 Arizona N.I.T. (March 19) on hole 12 … advanced to Match Play at the 2021 U.S. Amateur … two-time Academic All-Big 12 first-team selection (2021 and 2022) … 2020-21 Srixon/Cleveland Golf All-American Scholar.
Players Mentioned
