(Phoenix, AZ) On the final day of the Pac-12 Women’s Golf Championships, No. 11 Sun Devil Women’s golf finished in 5th place after accumulating a 871 (+7) over the past three days at Papago Golf Club.
Arizona State freshman Beth Coulter delivered an incredible final round 68 (-4) to finish 5-under for the week and earn second place in her Pac-12 Championship debut. She is the program’s highest finisher since Olivia Mehaffey won the 2019 Pac-12 Championship in a playoff. Coulter’s first career Top-5 finish couldn’t have come at a better time, as she came through for Missy Farr-Kaye‘s team under pressure.
Sun Devil Women’s Golf continues an incredible streak dating back to 2001. The program has now had a Top-5 finisher in 20 of the last 21 Pac-12 Championships and an individual land in the Top-10 at each of the last 21 conference championships.
ROUND BREAKDOWN
Freshman Beth Coulter followed up her second round 70 (-2) with a 4-under 68, with birdies on No. 3, No. 5 and No. 6, and finishing strong with birdies on No. 16 and No. 18 to jumping up 11 spots up the leader board to a runner-up finish at 5-under for the tournament which is her highest finish in a tournament in her colligate career.
Junior Ashley Menne recorded three birdies in her round, including back-to-back birdies on holes No. 9 and No. 10 but shot over-par on three straight holes to a 75 (+3) to finish tied for 17th at even-par. She was one of seven players to finish under par of the par 3’s going 1-under for the tournament.
Senior Amanda Linner was consistent on the front-9 with two birdies on holes No. 2 and No. 4, but shot even par on eight of the last nine holes to fire a 74 (+2) to finish 2-over for the tournament.
Sophomore Grace Summerhays grinded through her final round with a birdie on the par-five 15th, but finished with a 78 (+6) to be 10-over for the tournament, good for a tie for 36th.
Freshman Paula Schulz-Hanssen battled the winds a birdie on No. 9, finishing at 12-over (228) for the week.
TEAM STANDINGS
| Place | Team | 1-2-3 | To Par |
| 1 | #14 USC | 849 | -15 |
| 2 | #9 Oregon | 856 | -8 |
| 3 | #1 Stanford | 857 | -7 |
| 4 | #29 Arizona | 865 | +1 |
| 5 | #11 Arizona State | 871 | +7 |
| 6 | California | 876 | +12 |
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS
| Place | Player | 1-2-3 | To Par |
| 2 | Beth Coulter | 211 | -5 |
| T17 | Ashley Menne | 216 | E |
| T20 | Amanda Linner | 218 | +2 |
| T36 | Grace Summerhays | 226 | +10 |
| T42 | Paula Schulz-Hanssen | 228 | +12 |
QUOTABLES
Arizona State Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye
On team’s performance this week:
“We struggled this week and I think it was a little bit surprising. We played this golf course really well in the previous tournaments this Spring. We made some unforced errors so to speak and here’s the takeaways that now as we head further into the postseason, we got to clean up a few things, get better at a couple of things and execute a little better. So we’ve got two weeks now before we head to regionals and we get our region bid next week.”
On different players stepping into a leadership role:
“It’s been great. We’ve had a lot of injection of youth, with three freshman it’s been a lot of fun. It’s really great to see Beth have such a great finish today. It’s all just moved around a little bit and the lineup keeps changing and I don’t know if the lineup is going to change in the next tournament, so we will see. It’s been fun, they’re a fun group that is fun to coach. It’s just different when everyone is no longer waiting on the two seniors to decide what they want, the two All-Americans. This year’s been a lot more rounded of who’s in charge or who wants what, but Ashley has been the anchor of our team and has been all year and continues to be a great role model for the team.”
On main focus for players in preparation for regionals:
“We’re a little sloppy in areas that we can certainly get better at. We are capable of being a little sharper with course management or strategy, things like that. I think we’re going to work on and just their all around game. They’re extremely talented. We just want for them to really be ready for us wherever we get sent.”
Arizona State Freshman Beth Coulter
On having her first Pac-12 Championship tournament at home:
“As a freshman, it was really cool to have my first Pac-12s at home and it’s a really good experience to see some friendly faces out there. Now I kind of know what to expect in the postseason, which is quite nice.”
On how the team has developed and grown throughout this year:
“I think it’s really cool, we’re really close as a team. We are really good friends and push each other during practice. It’s really competitive and that’s what I love about it.”
On how she has personally improved:
“It’s a big step up from junior golfing to college golf. The feelings, the depth is just crazy and every week it’s a tough golf course. The length is an adjustment. Every week we’re building. In the Spring, we’ve kind of come into ourselves and I think it’s just all of us getting it together for one tournament. We’re capable of big things and just need to do it on the same day.”
Arizona State Junior Ashley Menne
On the team being different this year than last year:
“It’s so different. Just with three new freshman coming in, they’re all young. They’re so much fun and I think they bring the younger side of me. I tend to be quite serious, but we just joke around a lot and it’s a lot of fun.”
On the team and her individual goals for the rest of the postseason:
“Wherever they send us we have got to do our best qualify and make it to Nationals. I think we always have Nationals in the back of our minds when we are playing regionals just because we kind of know what we’re capable of and we know that we can qualify. Individually, I would say play well at regionals, play my best as best as I can for the next two events. We only only have two left, so just to finish junior year out strong.”
On potentially competing at Grayhawk in Scottsdale:
“That would be awesome. I’m looking forward to playing again at Grayhawk if we get the chance. I’ve grown up in the Valley, so it’s one of those courses I’ve played since I was 10. So hopefully we can get it done at Grayhawk, I believe in us. You just need to get a good couple rounds to make it into match play.”
CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
USC was able to claim the Pac-12 title going 8-under in the final round, shooting -16 for the tournament (279-289-281=849). The No. 1 ranked amateur and Augusta National Women’s Amateur winner Rose Zhang claimed the individual title by a dominating seven strokes going wire-to-wire and finishing 12-under (204) for the tournament.
UP NEXT
2023 NCAA WOMEN’S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
Arizona State and the Thunderbirds will host the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships for the third consecutive year, taking place at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale May 19-31. This is the final of a successful three-year run as the host school of the most prestigious event in all of college golf. Don’t miss your last chance to check out the top individuals and teams in the nation square off for the ultimate prize in your own backyard.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Zach Wargo
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