News release from Texas A&M Athletics:
SAMMAMISH, Wash. – The No. 19. Texas A&M men’s golf team lifts the lid on the 2024-25 campaign at one of the nation’s most prestigious season-opening tournaments when they embark on the Sahalee Players Championship Saturday and Sunday.
One of the premier courses on the west coast, Sahalee Golf Club hosted a women’s golf major in June, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. The 54-hole tournament is conducted with two rounds Saturday and one Sunday at the par-72, 7,007-yard course with teams teeing off at 9 a.m. each day.
Texas A&M’s lineup is headed by Golf Channel Preseason All-American Phichaksn Maichon who enters the fray slotted No. 10 in the PGA TOUR University rankings. He is joined by returnees Jaime Montojo, Aaron Pounds and Jack Usner. The fivesome is rounded out by freshman Wheaton Ennis making his collegiate debut. Vishnu Sadagopan is participating as an individual.
The tournament features an elite 13-team field. Eight of the teams enter the season in the Bushnell/Golfweek Preseason Coaches Top 25.
The Sahalee Players Championship began in 1992 to bring the best amateur golfers in the world for a yearly competition in the Pacific Northwest. From 1992-2019 it was an independently run elite amateur tournament. After a brief hiatus due to Covid, the event returned in September 2023 as a collegiate event hosting the top men’s golf programs in the country. This marks Texas A&M’s first appearance at the event.
THE FIELD
Texas A&M (19)
Arizona State (2)
North Carolina (5)
Florida (10)
Arizona (14)
Washington (18)
Oklahoma State (20)
Duke (24)
Northwestern
Oregon
Pepperdine
TCU
UNLV
THE LINEUP
Team
Phichaksn Maichon – Senior – Bangkok, Thailand
- Slotted No. 10 in the PGA TOUR University ranking.
- Earned spots on Golf Channel Preseason All-America Second Team and Fred Haskins Award watch list.
- Participated in the Palmer Cup and U.S. Amateur (advancing to round of 16) over the summer.
- PING/GCAA Division I All-America Third Team in 2024 and Honorable Mention in 2023.
- Earned All-SEC Second Team in 2023-24.
- Finished junior year 15th in the Clippd College Player Rankings.
- Owns two career titles, including the 2023 Huntsville Toyota Bearkat Invitational and 2024 Louisiana Classics.
- Ended 2023-24 season with five top-10 finishes, including three top-5.
Jaime Montojo – Junior – Madrid, Spain
- Earned NCAA Division I PING All-Central Region honors in 2024.
- Played in The 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon.
- Finished sophomore year 146th in the Clippd College Player Rankings.
- Claimed his first collegiate victory sharing medalist honors at the 2024 Aggie Invitational at Traditions Club.
- Made DP World Tour debut October ‘23 in the Estrella Damm Andalucia Masters at Real Club de Golf Sotogrande.
- Keyed Spain’s 2023 European Amateur Team Championship victory – winning the clinching match 2&1.
- Made a late charge to finish t-13th at the 2023 European Amateur Championship in Parnu, Estonia.
- Qualified for the match play portion of the 2023 Amateur Championship, bowing out in the round of 64.
Aaron Pounds – Sophomore – The Woodlands, Texas
- Twice named an AJGA Rolex Junior All-American and was slotted as No. 1 player in the 2023 recruiting class.
- Selected the 2021-22 All-USA Today National Prep Boys Golfer of the Year; finalist for the award in 2022-23.
- Ended 2022-23 ranked No. 2 in PGA High School Golf Association Player Rankings after topping list in 2021-22.
- Advanced to Round of 32 at USGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship teamed with Jack Usner in 2022 & 2023.
- Qualified for the 2022 USGA Junior Amateur.
- Sister – Haley Pounds was a two-time All-SEC Second Team soccer player at Texas A&M; Sister – Taylor Pounds is in her fifth season on the Texas A&M soccer team.
Wheaton Ennis – Freshman – Eagle, Idaho
- Making collegiate debut.
- Won the Arizona Amateur at Phoenix Country Club in June ‘24, never trailing in the title match.
- Participated in the U.S. Amateur (advancing to round of 32) over the summer.
- Arrived in Aggieland slotted No. 2 on the Rolex AJGA Rankings.
- Won 7 Junior Golf Association of Arizona events between 2020-24, including the Thunderbird Invitational in March ‘24.
- Claimed three consecutive Idaho Golf Association Junior State Championships from 2020-22.
Jack Usner – Sophomore – The Woodlands, Texas
- Making second career appearance in the team lineup.
- Finished t-10th at the Southern Junior Championship in June 2023.
- Boasted a stellar career at The Woodlands Christian Academy where he won three consecutive TAPPS 5A state titles from 2021-23 along with fellow Aggies Jake Maggert and Aaron Pounds.
- Ended school year ranked No. 49 in the PGA High School Golf Association Player Rankings in 2022-23.
- Advanced to the Round of 32 at the USGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship teamed with Aaron Pounds in both 2022 and 2023.
- Qualified for the 2022 USGA Junior Amateur.
Individuals
Vishnu Sadagopan – Senior – Pearland, Texas
- Claimed PING All-Central Region in 2023.
- Named to the SEC Community Service Team in 2024.
- Earned GCAA/Cobalt All-America Scholar in 2023 and 2024; and made the SEC Spring Academic Honor Roll in 2022-24.
- Participated in the U.S. Amateur in 2022, coming up just two strokes shy of match play.
- Posted three top 10 finishes in 2022-23, including earning All-Tournament recognition at the Louisiana Classics with a t-4 showing.
COURSE
Sahalee Country Club is located in a suburb east of Seattle. Chinookan for ‘high heavenly ground,’ Sahalee is located on a heavily forested plateau east of Lake Sammamish. Lined with majestic Douglas fir and red cedar, the narrow fairways offer a test to the most elite of golfers. The Ted Robinson layout was remodeled by Rees Jones in 1996. The championship livery has hosted the 2016 and 2024 KPMG Women’s PGA Championships, 2010 U.S. Senior Open and the 1998 PGA Championship.
WEATHER FORECAST
Accuweather.com
Saturday: 85/60, hazy sun and very warm; smoke from area fires will lead to poor air quality, NNW 6-8 MPH, 1% probability of precipitation.
Sunday: 79/56, partly sunny and pleasant, SW 6-9 MPH, 5% probability of precipitation.
Weather.com
Saturday: 83/59, partly cloudy skies in the morning give way to cloudy skies in the afternoon. NNW 5 MPHn 7% probability of precipitation.
Sunday: 78/55, some clouds in the morning give way to mainly sunny skies for the afternoon. SW 6 MPH, 8% probability of precipitation.
Tuesday: 90/69, partly cloudy, SSW 10-20 MPH, 21% probability of precipitation.