Strong spring gives Cats hope heading into Pac-12 Men's Golf Championships

An improving Arizona men’s golf team has its sights set on a second Pac-12 championship in three years.

The Wildcats will compete at the event from Friday through Sunday at the Stanford Golf Course.

Junior Sam Sommerhauser has finished first on the team in the past two tournaments, including a second-place finish in the overall field at the Thunderbird Collegiate two weeks ago.

“I feel like everything is coming together right at the right time and our teams playing well just going into the postseason,” Sommerhauser said.

Arizona’s Zach Pollo and Chase Sienkiewicz were also tied for the lead at minus-9 at the Thunderbird.

Arizona enters the Pac-12 event ranked No. 18. The only two conference teams ranked ahead of its is ASU (No. 2) and Stanford (No. 12).

“We are really hitting our stride ... We are all peaking at the right time,” Sommerhauser said. “I think we can play with the best teams in the country like we have shown.”

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In six spring tournaments, the Wildcats won at the Arizona NIT and finished second in three other events.

Although the Wildcats will be on the road this weekend, their three best golfers this season — Sommerhauser, Sienkiewicz and Pollo — are from Northern California.

It’s been all or nothing for UA in the past two Pac-12 championships. In 2021, Arizona won its first conference title in 17 years. But then last year, the Wildcats placed 11th.

“Getting to compete at Stanford is a great test. If we can be patient, I think we will be very good,” said coach Jim Anderson.

Arizona’s lineup will be the same six that Anderson used in the Western Intercollegiate a few weeks ago: Sommerhauser, Filip Jakubcik, Tiger Christensen, Chaz Aurilla, Sienkiewicz and Pollo.

“I think our really good golf a lot of times gives us a chance to win so that’s what we are hoping to happen,” Anderson said.