After 5 years at Arizona State, Mason Andersen embracing final act of college golf career

Before Thursday's practice round, Arizona State gathered for breakfast at Grayhawk Golf Club. One of the topics discussed was Mason Andersen.

More specifically, it was a conversation in good fun about the "top five worst moments" of the graduate student's career, according to Sun Devils head coach Matt Thurmond.

“Donuts in golf carts and making jokes when I shouldn’t make jokes and just being a little bit more high maintenance my freshman year,” Andersen said. “That was what we were reflecting on. Things have changed obviously. I’ve taken more of a leader role on the team, so we like to look back and get a good laugh.”

Thurmond is quick to complement the Chandler Hamilton High School alumnus for his leadership, dedication to the ASU program and poise on the course. Andersen could have moved on from the program last year, but chose to stay with the Sun Devils for the 2022 season. His efforts have paid off, as he is ASU’s No. 1 player this week in the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship.

Playing five years for ASU certainly helps, but the main reason for Andersen’s spot at the top of the lineup is his ability to perform in the biggest moments.

He has 18 top-10 finishes for the Sun Devils, including five this season. One of these came less than two weeks ago when he shot 10-under-206 to finish tied for second at the NCAA Regional in Stockton, Calif., which helped ASU win the event.

“He’s been an awesome leader,” Thurmond said. “He’s worked hard. He’s been steady. He just competes so hard. Just proud of him. It’s a cool ending for him and I think it’s going to be a great finish for Mason Andersen.”

Whether that ending is helping the Sun Devils earn its third national championship and first since 1996 remains to be seen. After Sunday's third round, ASU is in sixth at +19 and Andersen — who has shot 11-over-par through three rounds — is tied for 62nd in the individual standings.

Participating in his final college event less than an hour from home, the Chandler native understands how there may be “unnecessary pressure at hand.” A way he is combating this is knowing that there are numerous people supporting him on the course.

Additionally, Andersen is remaining composed, despite firing 13 bogeys to six birdies so far. He believes that he is playing more consistently this season than in past years, a claim backed up by 10 top-25 finishes in 11 events and his two-over-par performance on Sunday.

“Up and down, that's been the theme," Andersen said. "I could shoot 85 or I could shoot 65. But it’s changed this year. I’ve been more solid and more reliable. But the No. 1 spot doesn’t mean anything. You can play the No. 1 spot and go shoot an 85. You’ve still got to earn it no matter what (in) every round you play, every shot you hit.”

Related: David Puig hoping to lead ASU golf team to national championship

That competitiveness was noticed early on by Steve Kanner, Hamilton’s nine-time state champion head coach.

Andersen joined the Huskies after attending Basha High School and played a key role on one of the top squads in Arizona high school golf. Kanner recognized his power, control and maturity on the course, as well as that he went “a little under the radar screen” since he played fewer national events than other golfers from Arizona.

Yet his performances still reached the attention of then-Sun Devils head coach Tim Mickelson, the younger brother of longtime professional and former ASU golfer Phil Mickelson.

“Mason was destined to be a Sun Devil,” Mickelson said in a message provided to the Republic. “From the moment I met him on campus for an unofficial visit, I knew I wanted him as a part of the Sun Devil family. Besides being a great player, he’s a superb human being, a great teammate and an intense competitor.

“He’s got a great support system around him with his family and current ASU coaches Matt Thurmond and Armen Kirakossian. I’m confident Mason will have an excellent career at the next level too!!! He’s represented the Sun Devil family exceptionally well!”

Thurmond, who succeeded Mickelson in July 2016, believes Andersen is the Sun Devils’ best-ranked player this season and he has the performances to prove it, from his showing at the NCAA Regional to tying for third at the Amer Ari Invitational in February and tying for seventh at the Thunderbird Collegiate in April.

These strong results aren’t exclusive to 2022, however. In 2019, Andersen tied for first in the Lamkin Grips San Diego Classic and tied for second in the Fighting Irish Classic. A year later, he tied for first again in the Amer Ari Invitational.

Perhaps his most impressive accomplishment came before enrolling with ASU, as he appeared in the 2017 U.S. Open and missed the cut by one stroke to finish better than professionals including Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy and former Sun Devil golfer Jon Rahm.

“I have a lot of pride,” Kanner said. “I feel proud that he was a Hamilton High School student and player and now he’s doing so well.”

While Andersen has improved since freshman year, some things remain the same, including his ability to tell jokes. Junior David Puig called him “always funny” and a great person to be around on and off the course.

Additionally, he has a team-wide nickname since he is the Sun Devils’ longest-tenured player: “The Dad."

“He’s been here a long time,” Puig said. “He helps us with everything. He also lives here so if we need something or (to)stay at his house one day or go (to) dinner somewhere, he’s always there.”

Eventually, Andersen will move on, since he has already graduated from ASU. His eye is on "probably" turning professional and trying out for tours including the Korn Ferry Tour and the PGA Tour Latinoamérica.

Until then, he has more chances to add to his legacy with the Sun Devils. Perhaps Thurmond will speak to his future players about what Andersen accomplishes this week in Scottsdale.

“He’s left his mark on this program in so many ways,” said ASU’s head coach. “He knows we tell a lot of stories in our program, and we’ll be telling Mason Andersen stories for many, many years to come.”

ASU's stellar third round clinches top-15 spot

Even after shooting 12-over-par, the Sun Devils were feeling good last night.

Despite sitting tied for 21st following its round, ASU eventually rose into a tie for eighth by the end of the day. As a result, Thurmond gradually started to see his squad's confidence rise and following a team dinner and trip to go see "Top Gun: Maverick," believed they were ready to perform on Sunday.

They did just that by shooting three-under-par to move into sixth place at +19 and make the top-15 cut.

"This group sometimes need(s) to let it come to them a little bit and know how they have to respond," Thurmond said. "They're not necessarily a group that goes out there and dominates from start. They're more of a counterpunch type of team and so, it felt like last night, we really knew where we were and what we had to deal with."

The Sun Devils earned their first under-par rounds of the event courtesy of senior Cameron Sisk (two-under-par), freshman Preston Summerhays (two-under-par) and junior David Puig (one-under-par). ASU's golfers combined for 16 birdies and tied Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Pepperdine for the day's best score.

Highlights came throughout the day, from Puig birdying three of his first four holes to Sisk nailing a birdie putt on No. 18 and earning loud cheers from the large crowd surrounding the hole.

Today also marked the Sun Devils' first lineup change of the tournament, as Thurmond subbed out freshman Josele Ballester for junior James Leow, who shot six-over-par. ASU's head coach found that Ballester's swing "got a little off" the past couple days and believed the Castellon, Spain native — who combined for 10-over-par in his first two rounds — could benefit from a round off.

"It's going to be really good for Jose that he get a day away to watch from the sidelines and relax and work on his game," Thurmond said. "I'm sure he'll get another chance."

Ahead of the final round of stroke play, the Sun Devils sit behind Oklahoma (-1), Oklahoma State (+3), Vanderbilt (+5), North Carolina (+9) and Pepperdine (+13).

Arizona eliminated from postseason

Arriving at Grayhawk Golf Club, Arizona had the necessary momentum to make a national title run after winning the NCAA Regional in Bryan, Texas.

On their first day in Scottsdale, the Wildcats continued their stellar play by shooting six-over-par on Saturday to tie for fourth place.

But everything changed a day later.

Arizona shot a 24-over-par with 30 bogeys and six double bogeys to three birdies. Falling to 21st place, the Wildcats had a lot of ground to make up to clinch a top-15 spot.

Despite a strong performance from Chase Sienkiewicz, who shot two-under-par on Sunday, Arizona missed the cut by six strokes and finished tied for 19th.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona State's Mason Andersen embracing final act of college golf career