GOLD CANYON, Ariz. – Sun Devil Women’s Golf completed their second event of the Spring campaign, putting together an impressive showing at the Match in the Desert.
Arizona State (-11/277) overcame cold weather and a frost delay, maintaining their focus on their way to delivering a spectacular round in their home state. Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye‘s team has shown no signs of rust after a long semester break, starting the Spring extremely strong.
ASHLEY MENNE CO-CHAMPION
The story of the day was the efforts of junior Ashley Menne, who was excellent right from the start. A birdie on her first hole set the tone for what would become an eight-birdie round, matching a career-low 65 (-7) in the process. She was named Co-Champion of the event after finishing tied with UCLA’s Caroline Canales (#33 ranked golfer nationally). This is Menne’s first individual championship as a Sun Devil and seventh career Top-10 finish. The 65 is tied for the fourth-lowest score in program history, as Menne matched her own historic 2021 NCAA Championship third round in the school record book.
SECOND PLACE FINISH
Arizona State matched the sixth-lowest team score vs. par in program history on their way to a second-place finish at the Match in the Desert. The 277 (-11) was just one stroke shy of eventual team champion UCLA, as ASU finished ahead of Top-25 teams Baylor and Arizona. While Menne was the headliner, several Sun Devils contributed to the successful effort. Freshman Beth Coulter shot a 70 (-2), overcoming a bogey on her first hole to finish tied for 11th. Amanda Linner and Grace Summerhays joined Coulter under par, each shooting 71 (-1) which earned them a tie at 17th. Calynne Rosholt finished the front nine holes at one-under.
PAULA’S CAREER DAY
Freshman Paula Schulz-Hanssen played wonderfully as an individual, nearly capturing the title despite not counting towards the team score. She shot a career-low 66 (-6), which gave her sole possession of third place, the highest finish of her career. Schulz-Hanssen played flawless golf, avoiding any bogeys compared to converting six birdies. She was one of only two golfers to not register a bogey the entire round. The consistency throughout the day was what set her apart, as she recorded birdies 1, 5, 8, 11, 13, & 18.
QUOTABLES
“It was a great start for us top to bottom,” Coach Farr-Kaye reflected. “Ashley (Menne) continues to be so good. It is great to see her play such a fantastic round.”
“We had been waiting for Paula Schulz-Hanssen to break through and she did a great job today,” Coach Farr-Kaye added. “Going toe-to-toe with UCLA and Arizona is really good for our confidence. The big thing we have been working on with this young team has been to trust and believe in themselves.”
“I didn’t have to do a lot of coaching today.” Coach Farr-Kaye concluded. “My message was ‘Go out there and do what you need to do’. We started off a little slow, then the birdies started to fall and we managed the cold weather really well.”
PAC-12 > BIG 12
A new element to the Match in the Desert this year was the inclusion of a conference competition between Pac-12 and Big 12 programs. Arizona State teamed up with UCLA and Arizona to go head-to-head with Baylor, Kansas, and TCU with bragging rights on the line. The Pac-12 showed why they are widely considered the top conference in collegiate golf, flexing their muscles in an impressive performance. Three of the top four teams were from the Pac-12, which won the friendly competition by a score of 829-855, a 26-stroke advantage.
TEAM STANDINGS
| Place | Team | 1 | To Par |
| 1 | #22 UCLA | 276 | -12 |
| 2 | #15 Arizona State | 277 | -11 |
| 3 | #24 Baylor | 278 | -10 |
| 4 | #13 Arizona | 279 | -9 |
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS
| Place | Player | 1 | To Par |
| T1 | Ashley Menne | 65 | -7 |
| 3 | Paula Schulz-Hanssen | 66 | -6 |
| T11 | Beth Coulter | 70 | -2 |
| T17 | Amanda Linner | 71 | -1 |
| T17 | Grace Summerhays | 71 | -1 |
| T26 | Calynne Rosholt | 74 | +2 |
UP NEXT
Nexus Collegiate – February 13-15 (New Providence, Bahamas)
Arizona State will leave the country for the first time in nearly a decade when they travel to the Bahamas for the Nexus Collegiate. The Sun Devils will be a part of a unique event taking place at Albany Golf Club and hosted by Auburn. This is the first time ASU will compete in this event, which will be the first Women’s Golf tournament hosted in the Bahamas. ASU will get the chance to face off with teams from the SEC & ACC in one of the marquee events of the Spring.
“Every week we get a little more confidence and gain a little more belief,” Coach Farr-Kaye mentioned. “I am excited to see what we do in the Bahamas, where it will be a lot warmer.”
HOW TO FOLLOW
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