Women’s Golf at Nexus Collegiate Day One Recap

(New Providence, Bahamas)  Sun Devil Women’s Golf put together a strong effort on day one of the Nexus Collegiate at Albany Golf Course.No. 13 Arizona State sits in third place after the first 18 holes, finding themselves ahead of five Top-25 teams. The Maroon & Gold gained valuable knowledge from their first competitive round on this course, playing in unfamiliar territory and windy conditions.

Freshman Paula Schulz-Hanssen continued her strong play this Spring, leading the way individually for the Sun Devils. The Nexus Collegiate field is loaded with star power and Schulz-Hanssen is going toe-to-toe with some of the top golfers in the nation. She is currently tied for first after shooting a 71 (-1), sharing the lead with three other golfers. In a field with 20 of the Top-90 and 13 of the Top-50 golfers in the latest Golfstat rankings, the nation’s No. 2 recruit in last year’s signing class is proving she belongs.

A trio of Sun Devils are tied for 23rd and in the top half of the 63-golfer field after carding a 77 (+5). Ashley Menne, Beth Coulter, and Grace Summerhays are still within striking distance of the head of the pack with two rounds remaining.

ROUND BREAKDOWN
Arizona State started their day on the first hole, with the first birdie of the day coming from Grace Summerhays on the second hole. Paula Schulz-Hanssen showed glimpses of what was to come when she started her round one-under through the first six holes. Amanda Linner registered back-to-back birdies on five and six, two of her tournament-best five birdies. Beth Coulter was steady through the front nine, playing nearly mistake-free. The Sun Devils had three birdies on both six and 11, including Ashley Menne, who birdied both holes.

Schulz-Hanssen’s strongest stretch of golf came from holes 8-17, when she went two-under with no bogeys. Beth Coulter gained some confidence at the end of her round with a birdie on 17. Playing as an individual, Calynne Rosholt began her round on the tenth hole, enjoying a strong start and finish to her round. She was one-under over her first five holes and two-under over her final five. To put into perspective the difficulty of the set up today, Arizona State shot a 302 and is three strokes ahead of No. 9 LSU, four strokes ahead of No. 20 Oklahoma State, eight strokes ahead of No. 4 South Carolina, and ten strokes ahead of No. 11 Ole Miss.

QUOTABLES
“The conditions were tough today and the golf course playing completely differently than it did yesterday,” Coach Farr-Kaye remarked. “The wind did a 180 on us and we had to switch up our strategy. Scores were high as a result with winds around 20 miles per hour all day long at a really good golf course. We hung in there, will learn from today, and do a few things differently tomorrow. To be in third place after a today like today, I am pleased with the way we hung in there.”

“Paula had a beautiful round and really made the most of today,” Coach Farr-Kaye added. “It is exciting to see her playing so solid and we are looking forward to another great day tomorrow in the Bahamas.”

NOTABLES

• Paula Schulz-Hanssen shot a 71 (-1) to open the Nexus Collegiate, her third career round under par. Two of those rounds have come during the Spring season (68.5 stroke average), as she continues to show improvement.
• Arizona State leads the field in team par three scoring average (3.16) by two strokes.
• ASU’s 14 birdies as a team are tied for the second-most on day one.
• Amanda Linner’s five birdies were tied for the most of any individual.
• Paula Schulz-Hanssen is tied for the lead among individuals in par five scoring average (4.40), finishing three-under on those opportunities. Ashley Menne (-1) joined her in finishing par five opportunities below par.
• Beth Coulter and Paula Schulz-Hanssen are tied for second in the field in par three scoring average (3.0), going even on those holes today.

TEAM STANDINGS

INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS

UP NEXT
Arizona State will begin the second round of the Nexus Collegiate tomorrow morning at 6:30 AM MST.