Coach Mickelson who signed up Grant Forrest for San Diego has left to take Arizona State top post

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
It must be a big disappointment to the Lothians' Grant Forrest and Finland's Linus Vaisanen, winners of the Scottish boys' match-play and open stroke-play titles respectively in the same year (2010), that the head coach who persuaded them to sign up the next four years of their lives to San Diego University, Phil Mickelson's brother, Tim, has decided that his own personal future lies elsewhere. At Arizona State University to be precise.
Tim Mickelson, pictured right, has been head hunted by ASU after another disappointing season which was James Byrne's last with the Sun Devils. To be fair to Tim, he would have had no idea that he would never see Forrest, pictured below, or Vaisanen play for San Diego University when he recruited them.

Arizona State University's powers-that-be decided that it was time to bring in a new man to get their golf programme out of the doldrums and it did not take them long to come to the conclusion that Tim Mickelson was that man. They would have made him an offer he couldn't refuse.
Perhaps San Diego should count themselves that Mickelson did not take his right-hand man, Cory Scoggin, with him.

Because San Diego University have now promoted Scoggin, who had spent the last four years as one of Mickelson's assistants, to the head coach position.

Scoggin was Mickelson's chief assistant as they led the Toreros (San Diego's nickname) to their first WCC championship (2008), four consecutive NCAA Regional appearances, and three consecutive NCAA National Championship appearances, finishing 13th in 2009, 9th in 2010 and 16th in 2011.

"We are pleased to announce Cory Scoggin as the new head coach of our golf program," said Mike Matoso, Senior Associate Director of Athletics. "Cory has been involved with the progress of the team for the last 4 seasons and has been instrumental in the team participating in 3 straight NCAA Nationals.

"I have no doubt Cory will continue what he and Coach Mickelson built together. He will continue to bring in well rounded student athletes that want to compete at the national level while receiving one of the best educations in the country."

Last college golf season (2010-2011). San Diego - the Toreros - won two tournaments and finished in the top-5 in nine of twelve events. The season was highlighted by team titles at the Wolf Pack Classic and Kauai Collegiate. The Toreros hosted the NCAA West Regional's at The Farms Golf Club and placed 3rd (13 teams) to advance to their third straight NCAA National Championship.

Alex Ching, who will be a senior in 2011-12, was named the 2011 West Coast Conference Player of the Year.

Vaisanen has transferred from Edinburgh University to San Diego University

San Diego University's golf team play their first tournament of the new college season - the University of Colorado Invitational - at Boulder on September 12 and 13.