TEMPE, Ariz. - Sun Devil Women's Golf returns to action on Sunday, January 15th as they begin the Spring portion of their schedule.
Prior to the start of the 2023 Spring campaign, take a closer look at what the stretch run will look like for Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye's team. Here is a preview of the 2023 Sun Devil Women's Spring Season.
SUN DEVILS IN THE RANKING
Arizona State is a consensus Top-20 team heading into the Spring, remaining in the Top-25 rankings of all three major national polls the entire season. Golfstat has the Sun Devils rated the highest, tabbing them as the No. 15 team in the country. The Maroon & Gold come in at No. 17 in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings and No. 18 in the latest WGCA coaches poll. Not only is Sun Devil Women's Golf represented heavily in the rankings as a team, several individuals are considered among the best in the nation. Ashley Menne is the highest ranked Arizona State golfer according to both Golfstat and Golfweek/Sagarin. By being slotted at No. 66 in Golfweek, Menne is currently ranked the highest of any member of the team this season. She is also the No. 71 ranked golfer in the Golfstat rankings. Beth Coulter, Grace Summerhays, and Calynne Rosholt are each ranked in the Top-150 by both outlets.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"I really like the way our Spring schedule has worked out," Coach Farr-Kaye remarked. "We get to play in Phoenix a lot and then we have two long trips, which is always good for the team. Get some different grass and different time zones. You want to have a little bit of travel because you never know where you will get sent to for Regionals. It is important for them to be able to be adaptable."
SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN
vs. Denver & Vanderbilt – January 15 (Chandler, AZ)
For the first time, Arizona State will open up the Spring season with a one-day match play style event featuring Vanderbilt and Denver. The competition will take place at Whirlwind Golf Club; Cattail Course. This is the first of six potential appearances in the state of Arizona for the Sun Devils.
Match in the Desert – January 23 (Gold Canyon, AZ)
The Sun Devils will make their second appearance in the state of Arizona when they travel to Superstition Mountain Golf & Country Club for the Match in the Desert. Arizona State will enter the event as the four-time defending event champion, winning the 2022 event over No. 2 Oklahoma State by five strokes. Kansas will host for the second consecutive year, with the tournament moving to one day in 2023. It will be a defacto Pac-12/Big-12 Challenge, with Arizona, UCLA, TCU, and Baylor also making up the field.
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.
Darius Rucker Intercollegiate – February 27-March 1 (Hilton Head, SC)
Following a successful debut on GOLF Channel in 2022, the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate returns as one of the most important events in the college golf world. It will once again be aired live on GOLF Channel from Long Cove Club, with the nation's top teams getting exposure on a national scale. Arizona State enjoyed a fantastic performance at last year's Darius Rucker, with Coach Farr-Kaye getting her players ready to play under the pressure. This event ended up being a preview of the NCAA Championship last year, with the nation's top ranked teams getting significant media coverage and attention.
Cactus Cup – March 13-14 (Phoenix, AZ)
Arizona State will make their second appearance in Arizona when they host the first-ever Cactus Cup in March. The two-day event is scheduled for match play format and will feature South Carolina, Virginia, and UCLA. Four NCAA Championship competitors will get a taste of Match Play, which is used to determine the NCAA Championship. ASU benefited from a similar experience at the Niklaus Cup in 2021-22, with Coach Farr-Kaye bringing a unique event to the backyard of Sun Devil fans.
PING/ASU Invitational – March 24-26 (Phoenix, AZ)
The Sun Devils continue a stretch in which they don't leave the state as they host the annual PING/ASU Invitational at Papago Golf Club. Several of the nation's top teams will once again take part in one of the most historic collegiate golf tournaments, the third chance for fans to check out ASU in the state. Arizona State is the defending champions, winning their 21st team championship in a run-a-way, claiming the victory by an enormous 15 strokes. Not only was the 839 (-25) tied for the lowest score in program history, the 15-stroke advantage was the most ASU has won by in PING/ASU Invitational history.
Alexandra Forsterling was sensational in taking home individual medalist honors, becoming the 17th Sun Devil to win the individual crown. Forsterling (-9/207) had to beat out teammate Ashley Menne for the title, as Arizona State finished 1-2 in the final player standings. She is the first Sun Devil to win at PING/ASU since Roberta Liti back in 2017.
Silverado Showdown – April 3-5 (Napa, CA)
The final regular season tournament is another familiar one for ASU, as they return to the Silverado Showdown at Silverado Resort & Spa. Colorado and Oregon host the event that the Sun Devils have had past success at. In 2022, Alessandra Fanali won the final regular season tournament of her career, becoming the first Sun Devil to win the Silverado Showdown. This represents the final tune-up before the postseason run begins.
POSTSEASON
Pac-12 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.
NCAA Regionals – May 8-10 (Athens/Palm Beach Gardens/Pullman/Raleigh/San Antonio/Westfield)
Arizona State has qualified for NCAA Regionals every year since it was instituted in 1992. If they do so again in 2022, they will travel to one of the following six sites. A total of 72 teams are selected to the NCAA Regionals, with 12 teams making each regional. ASU would need to finish in the Top-4 of their regional to advance to the NCAA Championship. Here are the six regional locations:
The 2023 NCAA Women's Golf Championship will be hosted by the Thunderbirds and Arizona State at Grayhawk Golf Club. This is the third consecutive year that the Sun Devils will serve as host of the most prestigious event of the season. Coach Farr-Kaye's team has qualified for the NCAA Championship each of the past six seasons, advancing to NCAA Match Play on two occasions (2017 & 2020). The 2017 run ended in the program's eighth NCAA Championship, a number they look to add to in their own backyard at the end of the season.
COACH'S CORNER
Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye offered her thoughts on the Sun Devil Women's Golf roster. Running seven deep, practice is more competitive than ever and qualifying for the ASU lineup is a significant accomplishment in itself. Coach Farr-Kaye gives her outlook on each member the 2022-23 squad.
Ashley Menne
"Ashley has been tweaking her equipment and working on some things after taking time off. She really has gotten into understanding, as an upperclassman, the ebb and flow of college golf. When to take your breaks and when to push down on the accelerator a little bit. Her maturity and experience are a great asset to our team."
Grace Summerhays
"I called her a spark when she got here a year ago. The same remains true. Her competitiveness, being a great teammate, there is just something that she brings that is a tremendous boost to our team. She is always giving 1,000% at whatever she does. She is really fun to coach."
Calynne Rosholt
"She is seasoned now and knows what it takes. She is just really competitive and that is going to really help her going through the Spring. She understands why the postseason is different and what you need to do to get through it."
Beth Coulter
"She has been great. It is quite an adjustment. I am always impressed by how are student-athletes come over here. There is no slow process. You are kind of thrown into the deep end of the pool. Some can adapt to it quicker than others. Beth has adapted well and figured out how to play at the collegiate level. Just from one semester to the next, I can already see a difference."
Amanda Linner
"Nobody works harder than Amanda and nobody has a better attitude than Amanda. She has really matured into this terrific human being. She is wonderful to have on the team and has developed into a great young lady. The experience of having been through a lot in college, including COVID, is beneficial for us. She has learned to adapt. Whatever she decides to do, she is going to be great at it. We want to give her whatever we can to make this a successful final semester."
Paula Schulz-Hanssen
"Paula is a very seasoned player who has had a lot of success in Europe. The golf courses are so different than what she is used to, so she has had to make the transition. She has been able to qualify for us several times, which is an impressive feat for a first-year player. We expect big things out of Paula in her second semester."
Patience Rhodes
"Patience can easily work her way in the lineup. She is staying sharp, playing at a tournament in Spain during the break. She has already showed improvement in her game and will have a great career for this program. The three freshmen have all been impressive and met the high expectations of a No. 1 recruiting class."
Missy Farr-Kaye Inducted into the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame
Sun Devil Women's Golfer Head Coach and Arizona golf legend Missy Farr-Kaye was inducted into the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame back in October. The Arizona Golf Hall of Fame Committee selected four new inductees to the Hall of Fame, featuring three modern candidates and one representative from the Legacy Division. Missy Farr-Kaye is part of a decorated 2022 class that includes fellow Sun Devil Women's Golfer Geri Cavanaugh, industry leader and major supporter of Arizona State Golf Del Cochran, as well as Rock and Roll legend and philanthropist Alice Cooper. Her success as a player, impact as a coach, and contributions as a member of the golf community made Farr-Kaye an ideal candidate for this honor.
For the latest updates and information on the Sun Devil Women's Golf program, follow our Twitter/Instagram accounts (@SunDevilWGolf), like our Facebook page (facebook.com/sundevilwgolf/), and visit our website (thesundevils.com).
Prior to the start of the 2023 Spring campaign, take a closer look at what the stretch run will look like for Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye's team. Here is a preview of the 2023 Sun Devil Women's Spring Season.
SUN DEVILS IN THE RANKING
Arizona State is a consensus Top-20 team heading into the Spring, remaining in the Top-25 rankings of all three major national polls the entire season. Golfstat has the Sun Devils rated the highest, tabbing them as the No. 15 team in the country. The Maroon & Gold come in at No. 17 in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings and No. 18 in the latest WGCA coaches poll. Not only is Sun Devil Women's Golf represented heavily in the rankings as a team, several individuals are considered among the best in the nation. Ashley Menne is the highest ranked Arizona State golfer according to both Golfstat and Golfweek/Sagarin. By being slotted at No. 66 in Golfweek, Menne is currently ranked the highest of any member of the team this season. She is also the No. 71 ranked golfer in the Golfstat rankings. Beth Coulter, Grace Summerhays, and Calynne Rosholt are each ranked in the Top-150 by both outlets.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"I really like the way our Spring schedule has worked out," Coach Farr-Kaye remarked. "We get to play in Phoenix a lot and then we have two long trips, which is always good for the team. Get some different grass and different time zones. You want to have a little bit of travel because you never know where you will get sent to for Regionals. It is important for them to be able to be adaptable."
SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN
vs. Denver & Vanderbilt – January 15 (Chandler, AZ)
For the first time, Arizona State will open up the Spring season with a one-day match play style event featuring Vanderbilt and Denver. The competition will take place at Whirlwind Golf Club; Cattail Course. This is the first of six potential appearances in the state of Arizona for the Sun Devils.
Match in the Desert – January 23 (Gold Canyon, AZ)
The Sun Devils will make their second appearance in the state of Arizona when they travel to Superstition Mountain Golf & Country Club for the Match in the Desert. Arizona State will enter the event as the four-time defending event champion, winning the 2022 event over No. 2 Oklahoma State by five strokes. Kansas will host for the second consecutive year, with the tournament moving to one day in 2023. It will be a defacto Pac-12/Big-12 Challenge, with Arizona, UCLA, TCU, and Baylor also making up the field.
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.
Darius Rucker Intercollegiate – February 27-March 1 (Hilton Head, SC)
Following a successful debut on GOLF Channel in 2022, the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate returns as one of the most important events in the college golf world. It will once again be aired live on GOLF Channel from Long Cove Club, with the nation's top teams getting exposure on a national scale. Arizona State enjoyed a fantastic performance at last year's Darius Rucker, with Coach Farr-Kaye getting her players ready to play under the pressure. This event ended up being a preview of the NCAA Championship last year, with the nation's top ranked teams getting significant media coverage and attention.
Cactus Cup – March 13-14 (Phoenix, AZ)
Arizona State will make their second appearance in Arizona when they host the first-ever Cactus Cup in March. The two-day event is scheduled for match play format and will feature South Carolina, Virginia, and UCLA. Four NCAA Championship competitors will get a taste of Match Play, which is used to determine the NCAA Championship. ASU benefited from a similar experience at the Niklaus Cup in 2021-22, with Coach Farr-Kaye bringing a unique event to the backyard of Sun Devil fans.
PING/ASU Invitational – March 24-26 (Phoenix, AZ)
The Sun Devils continue a stretch in which they don't leave the state as they host the annual PING/ASU Invitational at Papago Golf Club. Several of the nation's top teams will once again take part in one of the most historic collegiate golf tournaments, the third chance for fans to check out ASU in the state. Arizona State is the defending champions, winning their 21st team championship in a run-a-way, claiming the victory by an enormous 15 strokes. Not only was the 839 (-25) tied for the lowest score in program history, the 15-stroke advantage was the most ASU has won by in PING/ASU Invitational history.
Alexandra Forsterling was sensational in taking home individual medalist honors, becoming the 17th Sun Devil to win the individual crown. Forsterling (-9/207) had to beat out teammate Ashley Menne for the title, as Arizona State finished 1-2 in the final player standings. She is the first Sun Devil to win at PING/ASU since Roberta Liti back in 2017.
Silverado Showdown – April 3-5 (Napa, CA)
The final regular season tournament is another familiar one for ASU, as they return to the Silverado Showdown at Silverado Resort & Spa. Colorado and Oregon host the event that the Sun Devils have had past success at. In 2022, Alessandra Fanali won the final regular season tournament of her career, becoming the first Sun Devil to win the Silverado Showdown. This represents the final tune-up before the postseason run begins.
POSTSEASON
Pac-12 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.
NCAA Regionals – May 8-10 (Athens/Palm Beach Gardens/Pullman/Raleigh/San Antonio/Westfield)
Arizona State has qualified for NCAA Regionals every year since it was instituted in 1992. If they do so again in 2022, they will travel to one of the following six sites. A total of 72 teams are selected to the NCAA Regionals, with 12 teams making each regional. ASU would need to finish in the Top-4 of their regional to advance to the NCAA Championship. Here are the six regional locations:
- Athens, Georgia - University of Georgia Golf Course
- Palm Beach Gardens, Florida – PGA National Resort
- Pullman, Washington - Palouse Ridge Golf Club
- Raleigh, North Carolina - Lonnie Poole Golf Course
- San Antonio, Texas – TPC San Antonio
- Westfield, Indiana - The Club at Chatham Hills
The 2023 NCAA Women's Golf Championship will be hosted by the Thunderbirds and Arizona State at Grayhawk Golf Club. This is the third consecutive year that the Sun Devils will serve as host of the most prestigious event of the season. Coach Farr-Kaye's team has qualified for the NCAA Championship each of the past six seasons, advancing to NCAA Match Play on two occasions (2017 & 2020). The 2017 run ended in the program's eighth NCAA Championship, a number they look to add to in their own backyard at the end of the season.
COACH'S CORNER
Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye offered her thoughts on the Sun Devil Women's Golf roster. Running seven deep, practice is more competitive than ever and qualifying for the ASU lineup is a significant accomplishment in itself. Coach Farr-Kaye gives her outlook on each member the 2022-23 squad.
Ashley Menne
"Ashley has been tweaking her equipment and working on some things after taking time off. She really has gotten into understanding, as an upperclassman, the ebb and flow of college golf. When to take your breaks and when to push down on the accelerator a little bit. Her maturity and experience are a great asset to our team."
Grace Summerhays
"I called her a spark when she got here a year ago. The same remains true. Her competitiveness, being a great teammate, there is just something that she brings that is a tremendous boost to our team. She is always giving 1,000% at whatever she does. She is really fun to coach."
Calynne Rosholt
"She is seasoned now and knows what it takes. She is just really competitive and that is going to really help her going through the Spring. She understands why the postseason is different and what you need to do to get through it."
Beth Coulter
"She has been great. It is quite an adjustment. I am always impressed by how are student-athletes come over here. There is no slow process. You are kind of thrown into the deep end of the pool. Some can adapt to it quicker than others. Beth has adapted well and figured out how to play at the collegiate level. Just from one semester to the next, I can already see a difference."
Amanda Linner
"Nobody works harder than Amanda and nobody has a better attitude than Amanda. She has really matured into this terrific human being. She is wonderful to have on the team and has developed into a great young lady. The experience of having been through a lot in college, including COVID, is beneficial for us. She has learned to adapt. Whatever she decides to do, she is going to be great at it. We want to give her whatever we can to make this a successful final semester."
Paula Schulz-Hanssen
"Paula is a very seasoned player who has had a lot of success in Europe. The golf courses are so different than what she is used to, so she has had to make the transition. She has been able to qualify for us several times, which is an impressive feat for a first-year player. We expect big things out of Paula in her second semester."
Patience Rhodes
"Patience can easily work her way in the lineup. She is staying sharp, playing at a tournament in Spain during the break. She has already showed improvement in her game and will have a great career for this program. The three freshmen have all been impressive and met the high expectations of a No. 1 recruiting class."
Missy Farr-Kaye Inducted into the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame
Sun Devil Women's Golfer Head Coach and Arizona golf legend Missy Farr-Kaye was inducted into the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame back in October. The Arizona Golf Hall of Fame Committee selected four new inductees to the Hall of Fame, featuring three modern candidates and one representative from the Legacy Division. Missy Farr-Kaye is part of a decorated 2022 class that includes fellow Sun Devil Women's Golfer Geri Cavanaugh, industry leader and major supporter of Arizona State Golf Del Cochran, as well as Rock and Roll legend and philanthropist Alice Cooper. Her success as a player, impact as a coach, and contributions as a member of the golf community made Farr-Kaye an ideal candidate for this honor.
"Missy is so deserving of this award. She has represented the state of Arizona as a great junior golfer and great Xavier high school stand out," legendary Head Coach Linda Vollstedt remarked. "Her time as a player at ASU was monumental where she capped off her career by helping ASU win its first NCAA Championship. Then she returned to ASU as an assistant coach (another NCAA Championship) and then the head coach where she guided the program to its eighth championship. Her life has not been easy but she always found a way to battle back with courage and grit. And then add being a single mom of 3 outstanding boys. She is the greatest role model one could ever ask for. I am so proud of her."
Missy Farr-Kaye is in the midst of her eighth season at the helm in Tempe. The former standout golfer for Arizona State was named the 10th head coach of the Arizona State women's golf team on June 26th, 2015. Over the course of eight seasons in charge of Sun Devil Women's Golf, Farr-Kaye has maintained the standard of excellence that the program has become recognized nationally for. She has led Arizona State to 17 Team Championships with 14 Sun Devils capturing Individual Titles during her tenure.
HOW TO FOLLOWFor the latest updates and information on the Sun Devil Women's Golf program, follow our Twitter/Instagram accounts (@SunDevilWGolf), like our Facebook page (facebook.com/sundevilwgolf/), and visit our website (thesundevils.com).