MILTON, Ga. (AP) -- Arizona State's season came to a dramatic end Friday in the quarterfinals of the NCAA golf championship, as top-seeded California survived when Brandon Hage birdied No. 18 following a nearly perfect approach to give the Bears a 3-2 victory and a spot in the semifinals.
Cal advanced to the semifinals to take on Illinois, which beat defending champion Texas 3-2. Host Georgia Tech will face Alabama, the 2012 runner-up, in the other semifinal at the Capital City Club's Crabapple Course north of Atlanta. The second-seeded Yellow Jackets needed a birdie from Ollie Schneiderjans on an extra hole to edge UNLV 3-2, while third-seeded Alabama topped New Mexico 4-1.
Hage hit his 137-yard approach within 3 feet to set up the winning birdie against Jon Rahm, the Arizona State freshman who shot a 61 on Tuesday in the first round of stroke play and finished tied for second in the individual event.
Hage's shot came after he had failed to close things out on No. 17 when his par putt lipped out.
Cal coach Steve Deismond said he had been antsy throughout the match.
"It was an uneasy feeling," said Deismond, in his 34th season as Bears coach. "How many times (this year) have we been in a situation like this? Almost zero."
Cal, which finished stroke play Thursday six shots ahead of second-place Georgia Tech, entered the tournament as the favorite after winning 11 of 13 tournaments this season. The Bears, the NCAA champs in 2004, lost 3-2 to Alabama in the semifinals last year.
ASU coach Tim Mickelson, PGA Tour star Phil Mickelson's brother, said he consider Cal to be in an elite class.
"I don't see how it gets any better," he said. "I believe it's the best (college) team we've ever put on a golf course. If they don't win, it's a shame. But it's match play, and you never know."
Deismond didn't take the Sun Devils lightly, though, and said he's similarly concerned about the Illini.
"What's kind of gone under the radar screen is that those two teams are the two most improved teams in college golf this spring, period," the Cal coach said.
