The Arizona Wildcats men's golf team took home its first Pac-12 Championship since 2004 thanks to a 12-under performance in the final round of the conference tournament on Wednesday at Mayacama Golf Club in Sonoma County, California.
The UA's victory also marked the fourth time the Wildcats have clinched a conference title, the first of the Jim Anderson era; Arizona also won in 1987, 1991 and 2004.
Arizona fifth-year senior Brad Reeves outlasted Stanford's Henry Shimp in a two-hole playoff to win the individual title.
"We all have aspirations of becoming a Pac-12 champion, and we all had that vision, and today it came true for me." — @ArizonaMGolf's Brad Reeves on winning the Pac-12 championship Reeves shot -16 during the four-day event and is the individual Pac-12 champion. pic.twitter.com/rDnqCLU75r
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster) April 29, 2021
"It's really great," said Reeves. "Obviously, at the beginning of the year it's one of your goals to win (the Pac-12 championship) as a team. Individually, it's amazing, too. It's an individual goal that we all have, and to do it with the team winning is something special."
Despite losing their grip on a four-stroke lead over ASU for first place to begin the final round, the Wildcats regained form on the back nine holes to finish 41-under for the tournament. ASU (-37) and Stanford (-35) grounded out the top three.
Fifth-year senior David Laskin turned in a standout performance in the final round, shooting a team-best 6-under; he eagled the 18th hole to all but clinch the conference title. He finished tied for 17th on the individual leaderboard.
.@ArizonaMGolf coach @Anderson_Jimbo on how winning the Pac-12 championship sets up UA for more postseason success this year: "These guys are hungry. ... They're hard workers and they're incredibly motivated and a bunch I couldn't be more excited to be around." pic.twitter.com/gM1EvATiNF
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster) April 29, 2021
"He played phenomenal," Anderson said.
Added Anderson: "I told Brad (Laskin's roommate since signing with Arizona) on Hole 16 walking up the fairway ... your Best Man shot 66 today."
Another UA senior, Salpointe Catholic High School graduate Trevor Werbylo, finished tied for eighth. Christian Banke finished tied for 25th; Chase Sienkiewicz was 32nd and Briggs Duce finished tied for 37th.
The Cats earned this year's victory in large part due to their strong play in the first two rounds of the championship. On Monday, UA shot 16-under in the first round — the lowest single round score at the conference championships in program history — and ended the second round one stroke behind ASU.
On Day 2, Arizona created separation atop the leaderboard by shooting five-under to move ahead of ASU by four strokes.
The Wildcats struggled out of the gates Wednesday morning, briefly losing their lead, but they bounced back in the final nine holes.
"We'll be able to use this group for years and years and years as a model," Anderson said. "We're so happy and so excited to be in the moment. Couldn't be more excited to be the Pac-12 champs."
UA women's golf team punches ticket to NCAA Regionals
The Arizona women's golf program, which won a Pac-12 championship in 2015, discovered its postseason fate on Wednesday, and will enter the NCAA Regionals as a No. 6-seed at Stanford.
We are staying out west for NCAA ⛳️Regionals! We will tee off as the 6️⃣th seed at Stanford on Monday, May 10.#BearDown | #NCAAGolf pic.twitter.com/uKh5U175YO
— Arizona Women's Golf (@ArizonaWGolf) April 28, 2021
Senior Yu-Sang Hou, who was a part of Arizona's 2018 national championship team, was named to the All-Pac-12 team earlier this week, while sophomore Therese Warner earned honorable mention.
The Wildcats tee off in the Stanford Region on May 10. Tee times are to be announced.
