A diverse group of six Sun Devils will tee it at the U.S. Open this weekend in Los Angeles. Here are some notes, nuggets and figures on each of them.
SIX IS ALMOST THE BEST
Six Sun Devils will tee it at the U.S. Open, which is a big number, but Georgia has eight to lead the way. Oklahoma State also has six, while Stanford has five (including four current players).
TEE TIMES
Wenyi Ding gets it started Thursday at 6:56 a.m. local time off hole 10, with Preston Summerhays (7:07 a.m.), Jon Rahm (8:24 a.m.) and Phil Mickelson (12:59 p.m.) following. Alex Del Rey (12:48 p.m.) and David Puig (2:16 p.m) tee off the first hole.
WHO IS WENYI DING AND WHY ISN’T HE ON THE ROSTER?
The 2023-24 roster hasn’t published yet, but he will be on there. You can read a great story about him here winning the 2022 U.S. Junior Amateur to get into the U.S. Open. He is the first male golfer from the People’s Republic of China to win a USGA championship with the win in July at Bandon Dunes. Ding defeated University of Tennessee’s Caleb Surratt, 3 and 2, in the 36-hole final, where he built as large as an 8-up lead. Ding also won the China Amateur in 2021 and 2021 Boao Classic, a professional event in China. He made the cut at the 2023 Singapore Classic and the 2023 PIF Saudi International, and he finished 47th in the ISPS Handa Australian Open at the end of 2022.
REMEMBER ALEX DEL REY?
Alex Del Rey (BA, Interdisciplinary Studies, 2020)) was four-time winner in his collegiate career with wins at the 2019 Trinity Forest Invitational, the 2019 Mea Lakakila Individual, the 2019 National Invitational Tournament and the 2017 Maui Jim Intercollegiate. He finished career with a 71.42 stroke average in 132 rounds in 44 tournaments and played par or better in 79 rounds. His senior season was cut short by COVID, and he entered the pro ranks shortly after.
SUN DEVIL TOP-110 WORLD AMATEUR GOLF RANKINGS (AS OF JUNE 14)
15. Preston Summerhays (junior at ASU in 2023-24; GCAA First-Team All-American in 2022-23)
17. Wenyi Ding (freshman at ASU in 2023-24)
28. Josele Ballester (junior at ASU in 2023-24; GCAA honorable mention All-American in 2022-23 and 2021-22)
50. Michael Mjaaseth (sophomore at ASU in 2023-24; GCAA All-Freshman Team in 2022-23)
69. Luke Potter (sophomore at ASU in 2023-24)
105. Ryggs Johnston (Fifth-year senior at ASU in 2023-24; GCAA Third-Team All-American in 2021-22)
GOT ANY GOOD JON RAHM IN COLLEGE NUMBERS?
Child, please, click here.
HOW GOOD WAS PHIL IN COLLEGE?
Good enough that even though he played about six years before the internet, we still did this bio once the world wide web became a thing. It is a little old school, but it works.
Press Release courtesy Sun Devil Athletics – Doug Tammaro
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