FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Sun Devil Women's Golf team completed the first round of the 2019 NCAA Championship on Friday at Blessings Golf Club.
With all 24 teams having completed their first round, Arizona State (+18/310) currently sits in eighth place after day one. The Sun Devils finished with the best round among the 12 teams that made up the two morning pairings, only trailing seven Top-10 teams from the afternoon group. Blessings Golf Club offered unique challenges, with wind and humidity becoming a factor as the day went on.
"This is a golf course where, sometimes, making bogeys is really good," Coach Missy Farr-Kaye remarked. "It requires a tremendous amount of mental strength, resilience, and grit."
"I am really pleased with the effort," Coach Farr-Kaye mentioned when asked about her team's day. "They had great attitudes, they hung in there, and they never got down on themselves."
Coach Farr-Kaye's team got contributions throughout the lineup, a testament to the program's depth. Alessandra Fanali and Raquel Olmos led the way for the Maroon and Gold, with Madison Kerley, Alexandra Forsterling, and Olivia Mehaffey showing flashes of brilliance on the course today.
"I still can't believe that I played my first round at the NCAA Championship," Fanali said. "It is such an incredible experience for me to be here."
Competing in her second NCAA Championship, there were no sign of nerves for veteran Madison Kerley. The senior set the tone for what would end up a successful day, going one-under on her first four holes. She picked up back-to-back birdies on her back nine (holes 5 & 6), helping her finish with a 78 (+5). Kerley's round is good enough to tie her for 39th, the third Sun Devil among the Top-40 in the 132-player field.
Alexandra Forsterling settled in nicely and made the most of the round one at her first NCAA Championship. Her performance on the back nine provides confidence and momentum heading into the second day. She birdied three holes on the back nine, all of which came during a four-hole stretch (5-8) that treated the Sun Devils well today. Forsterling managed to recover from a slow start and finish even on the back nine.
Despite a rare off-day by Olivia Mehaffey, the Sun Devils still find themselves in contention to make the cut on Sunday, where the field will be reduced to 15. Mehaffey did have a surge in the middle of her round, going even during an eight holes stretch as she moved from the front to back nine.
"She is one of the top players in the country, so I know she'll bounce back," Coach Farr-Kaye stated.
No. 2 Texas and host No. 10 Arkansas share the lead in the clubhouse after the conclusion of Friday's action, as each recorded a 302 (+10) to put them in first place. No. 4 Arizona, No. 7 Stanford, and No. 3 Duke round out the Top-Five of the team standings. Only four players managed to finish under par, with Bianca Pagdanganan's (Arizona) leading the invidual race by three-strokes thanks to a 69 (-4).
MORNING GROUP STANDINGS
TOP-15 OVERALL
ASU is guaranteed at least two more days in Fayetteville, as the first cut will not be made until after round three Sunday night. There is a lot of golf left to be played, with the Sun Devils starting their second round tomorrow morning from the first hole at 9:55 a.m. MST (11:55 a.m. CT) along with UCLA and Northwestern. The table below has a full listing of tee-times:
"This is a marathon, not a sprint. You have to take it one day, nine, hole, and shot at a time," Coach Farr-Kaye referenced when asked about her team's outlook as they prepare for the second round.
The championship format consists of 24 teams and 12 individuals completing 54 holes of stroke play (Friday-Sunday). Following the first three rounds, the top-15 teams along with the top nine individuals not on an advancing team proceed to the final day of stroke play Monday to determine the top eight teams for match play competition and the 72-hole stroke play individual champion. The top eight teams then compete in match play for the NCAA Championship on Tuesday & Wednesday.
As is the case for the entire tournament, Golfstat will provide live scoring at the following link. A reminder that Monday's fourth round of stroke play, as well as Tuesday and Wednesday's match play, will broadcast live on the Golf Channel. See below for the Golf Channel broadcast schedule throughout the championships (all times Eastern Time). The Golf Channel can also be viewed online at www.golfchannel.com or on the Golf Channel app.
GOLF CHANNEL LIVE COVERAGE SCHEDULE
Monday, May 21 – 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. (Live final round, individual stroke play coverage)
Tuesday, May 22 – 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. (Live quarterfinals coverage)
Tuesday, May 22 – 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. (Live semifinals coverage)
Wednesday, May 23 – 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. (Live finals, match play coverage)
Follow our social media platforms (@SunDevilWGolf) for the latest updates and information regarding Arizona State's run at the NCAA Championship. Golfstat will provide live scoring every day of the tournament at the following link. Stay tuned to thesundevils.com for a daily recap on the progress of the Sun Devils.
With all 24 teams having completed their first round, Arizona State (+18/310) currently sits in eighth place after day one. The Sun Devils finished with the best round among the 12 teams that made up the two morning pairings, only trailing seven Top-10 teams from the afternoon group. Blessings Golf Club offered unique challenges, with wind and humidity becoming a factor as the day went on.
"This is a golf course where, sometimes, making bogeys is really good," Coach Missy Farr-Kaye remarked. "It requires a tremendous amount of mental strength, resilience, and grit."
The Sun Devils managed to battle through these tough circumstances, proving they can handle adversity. Throughout the day, the team implemented adjustments, improving their score by five strokes on the back nine compared to the front nine. ASU found its rhythm during a four-hole stretch (holes 5-8), recording nine of their 15 birdies on the day.Alessandra Fanali tees-off on ?? as the Sun Devils ?? start their Championship run! #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/X2fNdy61oI
— Sun Devil W. Golf (@SunDevilWGolf) May 17, 2019
"I am really pleased with the effort," Coach Farr-Kaye mentioned when asked about her team's day. "They had great attitudes, they hung in there, and they never got down on themselves."
Coach Farr-Kaye's team got contributions throughout the lineup, a testament to the program's depth. Alessandra Fanali and Raquel Olmos led the way for the Maroon and Gold, with Madison Kerley, Alexandra Forsterling, and Olivia Mehaffey showing flashes of brilliance on the course today.
The top individual score by a Sun Devil came from freshman Alessandra Fanali, who looked comfortable at her first-ever NCAA Championship. She remained solid during what would prove to be a tough stretch for her fellow competitors on holes 10-18, making par on seven of nine holes on the front nine. She found her rhythm on the back nine, finishing one-under thanks to four birdies. Fanali managed to make up significant ground as she birdied three consecutive holes (5-7) towards the end of her day. She finds herself near the top of the leaderboard after 18 holes, as she sits in a tie for fifth.Welcome to the birdie party Alexandra Forsterling and Madison Kerley! Back-to-back ?? by Madison Kerley and 3?? ?? over the last 4?? holes for Forsterling! Sun Devils have combined for 7?? birdies on Holes 5-8 pic.twitter.com/LHkwbz7dTV
— Sun Devil W. Golf (@SunDevilWGolf) May 17, 2019
"I still can't believe that I played my first round at the NCAA Championship," Fanali said. "It is such an incredible experience for me to be here."
The second-lowest score of the day was turned-in by sophomore Raquel Olmos, as she ended day one with a 75 (+2). Olmos got off to a strong start, birdieing her first hole and three of her first six on the front nine. She was consistent throughout the day, leading the team with 11 pars. Showing she could recover from a slight speed bump, Olmos answered her only two bogeys of the day with a birdie on the very next hole. She gives the Sun Devils a pair of individuals in the Top-15, as she is in a tie for 13th with several other competitors.Alessandra Fanali is the first Sun Devil to complete her round at the NCAA Championship! She finishes the day even, while her two playing partners finished +14 and +16 #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/3t7qlFAbxU
— Sun Devil W. Golf (@SunDevilWGolf) May 17, 2019
Competing in her second NCAA Championship, there were no sign of nerves for veteran Madison Kerley. The senior set the tone for what would end up a successful day, going one-under on her first four holes. She picked up back-to-back birdies on her back nine (holes 5 & 6), helping her finish with a 78 (+5). Kerley's round is good enough to tie her for 39th, the third Sun Devil among the Top-40 in the 132-player field.
Alexandra Forsterling settled in nicely and made the most of the round one at her first NCAA Championship. Her performance on the back nine provides confidence and momentum heading into the second day. She birdied three holes on the back nine, all of which came during a four-hole stretch (5-8) that treated the Sun Devils well today. Forsterling managed to recover from a slow start and finish even on the back nine.
Despite a rare off-day by Olivia Mehaffey, the Sun Devils still find themselves in contention to make the cut on Sunday, where the field will be reduced to 15. Mehaffey did have a surge in the middle of her round, going even during an eight holes stretch as she moved from the front to back nine.
"She is one of the top players in the country, so I know she'll bounce back," Coach Farr-Kaye stated.
No. 2 Texas and host No. 10 Arkansas share the lead in the clubhouse after the conclusion of Friday's action, as each recorded a 302 (+10) to put them in first place. No. 4 Arizona, No. 7 Stanford, and No. 3 Duke round out the Top-Five of the team standings. Only four players managed to finish under par, with Bianca Pagdanganan's (Arizona) leading the invidual race by three-strokes thanks to a 69 (-4).
MORNING GROUP STANDINGS
| Arizona State | +18 | 310 |
| Washington | +19 | 311 |
| Purdue | +20 | 312 |
| Northwestern | +21 | 313 |
| Virginia | +22 | 314 |
| Ole Miss | +22 | 314 |
| UCLA | +23 | 315 |
| Illinois | +28 | 320 |
| UCF | +29 | 321 |
| Indiana | +30 | 322 |
| San Jose State | +32 | 324 |
| Tennessee | +36 | 328 |
TOP-15 OVERALL
| Texas | +10 | 302 |
| Arkansas | +10 | 302 |
| Arizona | +12 | 304 |
| Stanford | +13 | 305 |
| Duke | +13 | 305 |
| Southern California | +14 | 306 |
| Wake Forest | +17 | 309 |
| Arizona State | +18 | 310 |
| Washington | +19 | 311 |
| Purdue | +20 | 312 |
| Auburn | +21 | 313 |
| Northwestern | +21 | 313 |
| Virginia | +22 | 314 |
| Ole Miss | +22 | 314 |
| UCLA | +23 | 315 |
ASU is guaranteed at least two more days in Fayetteville, as the first cut will not be made until after round three Sunday night. There is a lot of golf left to be played, with the Sun Devils starting their second round tomorrow morning from the first hole at 9:55 a.m. MST (11:55 a.m. CT) along with UCLA and Northwestern. The table below has a full listing of tee-times:
| PAIRING | Arizona State, UCLA, Northwestern |
| HOLE | 1 |
| TIME (MST) | GOLFER |
| 9:55 A.M. | Olivia Mehaffey |
| 10:06 A.M. | Alexandra Forsterling |
| 10:17 A.M. | Madison Kerley |
| 10:28 A.M. | Raquel Olmos |
| 10:39 A.M. | Alessandra Fanali |
"This is a marathon, not a sprint. You have to take it one day, nine, hole, and shot at a time," Coach Farr-Kaye referenced when asked about her team's outlook as they prepare for the second round.
The championship format consists of 24 teams and 12 individuals completing 54 holes of stroke play (Friday-Sunday). Following the first three rounds, the top-15 teams along with the top nine individuals not on an advancing team proceed to the final day of stroke play Monday to determine the top eight teams for match play competition and the 72-hole stroke play individual champion. The top eight teams then compete in match play for the NCAA Championship on Tuesday & Wednesday.
As is the case for the entire tournament, Golfstat will provide live scoring at the following link. A reminder that Monday's fourth round of stroke play, as well as Tuesday and Wednesday's match play, will broadcast live on the Golf Channel. See below for the Golf Channel broadcast schedule throughout the championships (all times Eastern Time). The Golf Channel can also be viewed online at www.golfchannel.com or on the Golf Channel app.
GOLF CHANNEL LIVE COVERAGE SCHEDULE
Monday, May 21 – 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. (Live final round, individual stroke play coverage)
Tuesday, May 22 – 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. (Live quarterfinals coverage)
Tuesday, May 22 – 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. (Live semifinals coverage)
Wednesday, May 23 – 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. (Live finals, match play coverage)
Follow our social media platforms (@SunDevilWGolf) for the latest updates and information regarding Arizona State's run at the NCAA Championship. Golfstat will provide live scoring every day of the tournament at the following link. Stay tuned to thesundevils.com for a daily recap on the progress of the Sun Devils.