No. 9 Arizona State finished tied for sixth with No. 8 Oregon in the 17-team tournament. Playing without two-time All-American Ashley Menne who was competing in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur last week, Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye‘s team held their own in a competitive field.
Several Sun Devils stepped up in Menne’s absence, led by Grace Summerhays. Summerhays put together her second consecutive Top-10 effort, finishing in sixth place at the Silverado Showdown. She moved up nine spots after shooting a 71 (-1), one of the five best rounds on the final day. Paula Schulz-Hanssen finished in the Top-15 as well (T-15th) and has now finished T-16th or better in each of her last four events. Beth Coulter improved her score by three strokes each day, eventually moving up 18 spots on the final day. Amanda Linner’sefforts early in the event paid divdends down the stretch, with her 67 in round one setting ASU up for this solid finish.
The Maroon & Gold get ready to host the 2023 Pac-12 Women’s Golf Championship April 17-19 at Papago Golf Club. The event is free and open to the public, as the Sun Devils host the conference title for the first time since 2011.
ROUND BREAKDOWN
The shotgun start placed Sun Devils on holes 4-6 to start their rounds. The birdie opportunities were few and far between today, as the entire field struggled to remain around par. The average score on the par 72 course for the weekend was 76.5, an indication of the difficulties presented at the Silverado Showdown. Despite that, Arizona State still manage to take advantage of several chances. Beth Coulter started the day brilliantly, recording birdies on two of her first three holes. Grace Summerhays and Paula Schulz-Hanssen put together five straight pars to begin the round, remaining steady throughout the week.
Amanda Linner got on the board with a birdie on the 13th hole. Summerhays recorded her first birdie on the 15th hole, putting her back at even for the day. A birdie from Beth Coulteron 16 followed soon after, while Paula Schulz-Hanssen kept things going with one on 17. Coulter finished her final eight holes at one-under. Summerhays capped an excellent round with a birdie on three, ending her final 12 holes at two-under par.
QUOTABLES
“I am pleased with the way everyone stepped up at different times this week in Ashley’s absence,” Coach Farr-Kaye remarked. “The course was challenging over the past few days, which will be a good experience for us down the road.”
“We look forward to hosting the Pac-12 Women’s Golf Championship,” Coach Farr-Kaye added. “Hoping to see a bunch of our fans out there to support us. The team has been working hard to be prepared for this event and protect our home turf.”
TEAM STANDINGS
| Place | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | To Par |
| 1 | #16 Northwestern | 284 | 288 | 301 | +9 |
| 2 | #13 Texas A&M | 292 | 296 | 292 | +16 |
| 3 | #30 UCLA | 294 | 296 | 292 | +18 |
| 4 | #15 USC | 294 | 297 | 295 | +22 |
| 5 | #26 Pepperdine | 299 | 293 | 295 | +26 |
| T6 | #9 Arizona State | 292 | 302 | 302 | +32 |
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS
| Place | Player | 1 | 2 | 3 | To Par |
| 6 | Grace Summerhays | 74 | 73 | 71 | +2 |
| T15 | Paula Schulz-Hanssen | 72 | 77 | 74 | +7 |
| T35 | Beth Coulter | 79 | 76 | 73 | +12 |
| T43 | Amanda Linner | 67 | 76 | 86 | +13 |
| T85 | Calynne Rosholt | 79 | 78 | 84 | +25 |
SUN DEVILS IN THE RANKINGS
The Sun Devils have faced one of the nation’s toughest schedules so far and still have managed to stay in the Top-25 all season. ASU has already climbed several spots since the start of the Spring, making one of the biggest ascents of any team. Coach Farr-Kaye’s team has a huge opportunity to move up in those rankings with another strong performance at the PING/ASU Invitational. The Maroon & Gold entered the Top-10 for the first time all season, ranked No. 9 by both Golfweek and Golfstat.
TEAM RANKINGS (AS OF 3/31)
Golfweek/Sagarin: 9th
WGCA: 11th
Golfstat: 9th
INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS (AS OF 3/31)
Not only is Arizona State present in the national team rankings, several Sun Devil individuals continue to jump up the rankings. Ashley Menne is the No. 23 ranked golfer in the nation according to Golfweek, coming in as the highest ranked golfer on the team. Paula Schulz-Hanssen, Beth Coulter, and Grace Summerhays are also ranked in the Top-70 according in at least one major national poll.
UP NEXT
PAC-12 WOMEN’S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
April 17-19 (Phoenix, AZ)
For the first time since 2011, Arizona State will host the Pac-12 Women’s Golf Championship in their fourth appearance in the state of Arizona. This will be the first time that the Sun Devils host at Papago Golf Club, a place that Coach Missy Farr-Kaye‘s team has enjoyed plenty of success at. The Maroon & Gold will get a chance to win their first Pac-12 Championship since 2009 in front of their home fans. The nation’s top conference annually offers one of the most competitive conference championship events. The event is free and open to the public.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Connor Smith
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