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After taking over the reigns of one of the hottest programs in intercollegiate golf, Kevin McPherson was charged with maintaining the momentum that comes from winning back-to-back National Championships.
McPherson did that and more in 2011-12, guiding the Jaguars to the NCAA Regional and narrowly missing out on advancing to the NCAA Championships.
Now in his second season, McPherson is ready to put his own stamp on ASU Golf.
Appointed the fifth head coach in the program’s history on July 27, 2011, McPherson was introduced by ASU Director of Athletics Clint Bryant to a throng of supporters during a press conference at the J. Fleming Norvell Golf House.
“We completed a comprehensive national search that brought in five highly-qualified candidates for on-campus interviews,” said Bryant. “All were very capable of performing the duties of head golf coach here at ASU. Kevin McPherson, one of our own, proved through this process that he was qualified to take on the responsibilities of this position. We’re extremely excited about his appointment and look forward to Kevin’s leadership in his new role.”
McPherson, 32, spent the last three seasons as the head women’s golf coach at ASU. Under his direction, the Lady Jaguars registered two victories and 15 top-five finishes in 29 events, including five individual medalists.
McPherson played a vital role as assistant men’s coach during the Jags’ victory at the 2011 NCAA Championships in Stillwater, Okla. He also served as acting coach and accompanied the team to the first event of the 2010-11 season, the Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Intercollegiate, after the birth of Gregory’s son.
During the 2010-11 season, McPherson led the Lady Jaguars to their second NCAA Regional appearance in the program’s 10-year history when they earned an at-large bid to the East Regional in Daytona Beach, Fla. ASU posted a 301.53 stroke average for the regular season, which marked a school record and represented nearly an eight-stroke improvement from the time McPherson took over the program.
Under McPherson, ASU set school records for the lowest team round (4-under 284) at the Kiawah Island Intercollegiate on Feb. 21, 2010 and the lowest 36-hole team total of 582 (289-293) in the 2011 Insperity Lady Jaguar Intercollegiate.
McPherson first arrived in Augusta in 2008, when he was named the fourth head coach of the Lady Jaguar golf program on July 17, 2008.
He spent the previous two seasons as the men’s and women’s assistant coach at the University of Central Florida. During his tenure in Orlando, McPherson aided in all aspects of the Golden Knight men’s and women’s programs, including recruiting, academic monitoring, scheduling and individual instruction, as well as the hosting of three intercollegiate tournaments.
While at UCF, McPherson aided a men’s squad that advanced to postseason play in both 2006-07 and 2007-08, while the Golden Knight women’s program earned an NCAA East Regional bid in 2007-08 as well.
Prior to joining the Central Florida staff, McPherson held two other positions within the golf industry. He served as an assistant professional at both the International Club of Myrtle Beach in Murrells Inlet, S.C., from 2000-02 and at Burning Ridge Golf Club in Myrtle Beach, S.C., from 1998-2000.
A 2006 graduate of Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, N.C., McPherson earned a B.A. in Sports Management. During his career at The Abbey, McPherson was a Carolinas Conference (formerly Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference) all-league selection. He served as team captain as a senior and helped lead the Crusaders to consecutive NCAA Atlantic Regional berths.
McPherson began his collegiate career at Brevard Community College in Cocoa, Fla., and led BCC to back-to-back NJCAA National Championship appearances. He captured medalist honors at the 2004 Northwood University Intercollegiate.
McPherson’s golf pedigree comes honestly. His younger sister, Kristy, is an accomplished LPGA Tour star who was a member of the victorious 2009 United States Solheim Cup team. She gained fame by participating in Golf Channel’s reality series “Big Break VI” and she served as a volunteer assistant coach for the Lady Jags during the 2011 NCAA East Regional in Daytona Beach, Fla.
A 1998 graduate of Conway (S.C.) High School, McPherson resides in Augusta.
