Meet the Staff.
Arizona State coach Matt Thurmond and Armen Kirakossian coach at UCLA will be joined by an excellent staff of head coaches and assistant college coaches, to help you learn more about training strategies, how we coach, and how the best amateurs and college players practice and play. You will be put through the same drills and development games that are used to by these coaches with their team The coaches will be present the entire camp and you will leave with a personal connection with all of them, especially Coach Thurmond and Coach Kirakossian.
Matt Thurmond
Men’s Golf Coach, Arizona State University
Coach Thurmond has been a Head Coach at ASU for ten years after 15 years at the University of Washington. Four different players have reached the world #1 ranking while being coached by Thurmond. He’s led his teams to 19 NCAA Championships, never finishing worse than 16th and finishing in the top 10 eleven times. He has coached 47 All-Americans and won many coaching awards. In 2024 coach Thurmond was inducted into the Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Armen Kirakossian
Men’s Golf Coach, UCLA
Coach Armen in his fourth year as the Head Coach at UCLA after spending his previous five years at Arizona State. He started his coaching career as Head Coach at his alma mater, University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley. After a year there he went to Pepperdine as an Assistant Coach where he helped build the program and recruit the players that won the 2021 NCAA Championship. He has been the National Assistant Coach of the Year, BIG10 coach of the year and is an exceptional recruiter, leader, and coach. Coach Armen leads the Coaches for Admired Leadership group.
Garrett Clegg
Men’s Golf Coach, University of Utah
Thomas Sutton
Men’s Assistant Golf Coach, Arizona State Univerisity
Coach Sutton is in his fourth season with the Sun Devils. With previous stops at The University of Washington and The University of Alabama Birmingham. Coach Sutton has led two different teams to PAC12 Championships, first in 2022 with the Huskies and in 2024 with ASU. He has coached four First-Team All-Americans and was recently named the Jan Strickland Outstanding Assistant Coach of the Year, earning him a captaincy spot in this year’s Arnold Palmer Cup matches. Coach Sutton has a strong resume and has made a strong impact helping guide the Sun Devils in Tempe.
Mason Banger
Men’s Assistant Golf Coach, UCLA
Coach Banger is in his third year as the assistant coach at UCLA. With prior stops at Abilene Christian University and University of Louisiana. Mason has established himself as a well rounded coach that has made a great impact in the programs he has been a part of. Helping guide multiple teams to a conference title in 2025 The BIG10 Championship with the Bruins and the 2022 WAC Championship with the Wildcats, advancing ACU to the NCAA regional tournament for the first time in program history. Mason has a great rapport with the players, developing multiple players to All-American seasons in his short time in Westwood.
