Arizona State Fans have a lot to be excited about as the 2024-25 Sun Devil Women's Golf season approaches. Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye has her team in position again to compete for a NCAA-best ninth National Championship. Senior Grace Summerhays, juniors Paula Schulz-Hanssen and Beth Coutler, along with redshirt sophomore Patience Rhodes are back from a squad that finished one stroke shy of advancing to the final stroke play round at the 2024 NCAA Championships. Freshman Isla McDonald-O'Brien is one of the most highly-touted recruits in the incoming class. ASU is slated to play in the state of Arizona as many as four times, including serving as the host school at one of six NCAA Regional sites in May. Here is more on the outlook of the 2024-25 Sun Devil Womens' Golf team.
COACH'S CORNER
"This team is going to ask more of themselves this year than they did last year," Coach Farr-Kaye reflected. "After all was said and done last year, they looked around at the teams that were playing on Monday in match play and realized, 'we are just as good as any of those teams in the top five.' There is really nothing that we don't have. I've started to hear that in what they're saying and Isla is just gonna fit right into that space. The returning four are very driven and have a little bit of chip on their shoulder after feeling a little disrespected at times last year, even after a couple of great wins. What's important is that they believe it and they see it. They're gonna do everything in their power to get us into the top five by the time we get to match play at La Costa."
ISLA MCDONALD-O'BRIEN JOINS THE FAMILY
McDonald-O'Brien is one of seven members of the English Junior Girls National Team, establishing herself as a rising star in the golf-laden nation. Just two years removed from securing the No. 1-ranked signing class in the nation, Arizona State has once again earned a significant signature. Farr-Kaye and the Sun Devil Women's Golf program look to continue their string of success with European golfers. The program prides itself on having a rich tradition of developing European golfers.
"We are thrilled to welcome Isla to our team next year. She is a great competitor and will bring her many high level qualities to our team. Isla is very determined to be one of the best collegiate golfers in the US." - Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye
PATIENCE RHODES & BETH COULTER WIN CURTIS CUP
For the first time since 2016, Great Britain and Ireland defeated the United States at the Curtis Cup. Beth Coulter and Patience Rhodes were two of the eight members of the victorious Great Britain and Ireland squad. Coulter teamed up with Lorna McClymont to win their Saturday fourball match over Auburn's Anna Davis and 2024 The Women's Amateur champion Melanie Green. Patience Rhodes took down UCLA's Zoe Campos in Sunday's singles competition.
PAULA SCHULZ-HANSSEN EUROPEAN TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Paula Schulz-Hanssen was part of the winning German squad at the 2024 European Ladies' Team Championship in Madrid. It was only Germany's second European Team Title in the 65-year history of the event. Schulz-Hanssen was sensational in Match Play, going a perfect 6-0 to lead Germany to one of the biggest wins in the naiton's history.
PLAYER NOTES
Grace Summerhays, Senior
Beth Coulter, Junior
Paula Schulz-Hanssen, Junior
Patience Rhodes, Redshirt Sophomore
Isla McDonald-O'Brien
ONE QUESTION WITH EACH SUN DEVIL
Arizona State is considered one of the best teams in the nation heading into the 2024-25 season. Golfweek recently tabbed them as the No. 9 team in the country in their preseason rankings. GOLF Channel also has high expectations for Coach Farr-Kaye's group, coming in at No. 14 in the publication's verion of a preseason poll. The Women's Golf Coaches Association releases a preseason poll on Sept. 6.
Golfweek: #9
GOLF Channel: #14
WGCA: #12
All four individuals are in currently ranked in the Top-153 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR), led by Beth Coulter at No. 74.
2024-25 Arizona State Women's Golf Schedule
Arizona State will be tested throughout the campaign as Coach Farr-Kaye built one of the nation's toughest slates once again. The Maroon and Gold will compete in a total of ten regular season events, five in the Fall and five in the Spring. The postseason begins April 15 at the Big 12 Championship, with NCAA Regionals and NCAA Championships scheduled for the month of May.
ANNIKA Intercollegiate – Sept. 9-11 (Lake Elmo, MN)
Mason Rudolph Championship – Sept. 20-22 (Franklin, TN)
Windy City Collegiate Classic – Sept. 30 - Oct. 1 (Wilmette, IL)
Stanford Intercollegiate – Oct. 18-20 (Stanford, CA)
Nanea Invitational - Oct. 28-30 (Kailua-Kona, HI)
Match in the Desert – January 27 (Gold Canyon, AZ)*
Therese Hession Regional Challenge – Feb. 2-4 (Palos Verdes, CA)
Darius Rucker Intercollegiate – March 3-5 (Hilton Head Island, SC)
Clover Cup – March 10-12 (Litchfield Park, AZ | Wigwam Golf Club)*
PING/ASU Invitational – March 28-30 (Phoenix, AZ | Papago Golf Club)*
Big 12 Championship – April 15-17 (Hockley, TX)
NCAA Regionals – May 5-7 (Columbus, Ohio; Lexington, Kentucky; Norman, Oklahoma; Lubbock, Texas; Charlottesville, Virginia; Gold Canyon, Arizona)*
NCAA Championship – May 16-21 (La Costa, CA; Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, Champions Course)
Italicized = Home Tournament
*Held in the state of Arizona
EMPTY THE NOTEBOOK
65/-7 Beth Coulter (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational second round/March 18, 2024)
67/-5 Paula Schulz-Hanssen (Mason Rudolph Invitational first round/Sept. 22, 2023)
68/-4 Grace Summerhays (PING/ASU Invitational third round/March 30, 2024)
68/-4 Patience Rhodes (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational third round/March 19, 2024)
68/-4 Patience Rhodes (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational first round/March 17, 2024)
68/-4 Paula Schulz-Hanssen (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational second round/March 18, 2024)
68/-4 Patience Rhodes (McGuire Invitational second round/Sept. 11, 2023)
68/-3 Patience Rhodes (Darius Rucker Intercollegiate first round/March 4, 2024)
68/-3 Grace Summerhays (Darius Rucker Intercollegiate first round/March 4, 2024)
68/-3 Grace Summerhays (Darius Rucker Intercollegiate second round/March 5, 2024)
69/-3 Paula Schulz-Hanssen (Pac-12 Championship second round/April 22, 2024)
69/-3 Patience Rhodes (PING/ASU Invitational first round/March 28, 2024)
69/-3 Paula Schulz-Hanssen (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational third round/March 19, 2024)
69/-3 Patience Rhodes (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational second round/March 18, 2024)
69/-3 Paula Schulz-Hanssen (Mason Rudolph Invitational third round/Sept. 24, 2023)
69/-3 Beth Coulter (Mason Rudolph Invitational first round/Sept. 22, 2023)
69/-3 Beth Coulter (McGuire Invitational second round/Sept. 11, 2023)
69/-3 Calynne Rosholt (Windy City first round/Oct. 2, 2023)
69/-2 Patience Rhodes (Stanford Intercollegiate third round/Oct. 23, 2023)
TOP FINISHES IN 2023-24 (BY RETURNING PLAYERS)
3rd - Patience Rhodes (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational)
5th - Beth Coulter (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational)
T5th - Paula Schulz-Hanssen (Mason Rudolph Invitational)
6th - Paula Schulz-Hanssen (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational)
T7th - Grace Summerhays (Darius Rucker Intercollegiate)
T9th - Grace Summerhays (PING/ASU Invitational)
12th - Beth Coulter (Cle Elum Regional)
T12th - Patience Rhodes (Darius Rucker Intercollegiate)
T12th - Beth Coulter (Darius Rucker Intercollegiate)
T14th - Grace Summerhays (McGuire Invitational)
BIRDIES BY SUN DEVIL (2023-24 SEASON TOTALS)
Beth Coulter - 91 (plus 4 Eagles)
Grace Summerhays - 90 (plus 4 Eagles)
Patience Rhodes - 86 (plus 2 Eagles)
Paula Schulz-Hanssen - 84 (plus 5 Eagles)
CAREER APPEARANCES
Grace Summerhays, 33 (30 stroke; 3 match)
Beth Coulter, 24 (21 stroke; 3 match)
Paula Schulz-Hanssen, 24 (21 stroke; 3 match)
Patience Rhodes, 11 (9 stroke; 2 match)
CAREER TOP-20 FINISHES
Grace Summerhays, 14
Paula Schulz-Hanssen, 10
Beth Coulter, 8
Patience Rhodes, 4
AZAHARA MUNOZ INDUCTED INTO ASU HALL OF FAME
Sun Devil Women's Golf legend Azahara Munoz is part of the 2024 Sun Devil Athletics Hall of Fame class. Munoz is one of six Hall of Fame inductees as a part of a loaded 2024 class, joined by one Hall of Distinction selection. A luncheon honoring the class will be held on Friday, Oct. 4, at ASU's Old Main, while honorees will be introduced at the Sun Devil football game on Saturday, Oct. 5, against Kansas. Munoz becomes the 20th individual from Sun Devil Women's Golf to enter the Hall of Fame and is the 21st overall inductee with ties to the program. Women's Golf has been represented in three of the past four Hall of Fame classes (2019, 2022, 2024). The most recent representative from Women's Golf entered back in 2022, when Anna Nordqvist was honored.
"We are extremely proud of Aza for all that she has accomplished in her illustrious career," Sun Devil Women's Golf Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye remarked. "She is a proud Sun Devil and is very deserving of this honor. There is no doubt she is one of the best players we have ever had come through our program."
Azahara Munoz left Arizona State as one of the most decorated golfers in program history.
Sun Devil Women's Golf had more representatives than any other collegiate women's golf program at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Five Arizona State products competed in the most prestigous international event on the golf calendar. Both of the Spanish qualifiers were Sun Devils, with Carlota Ciganda and Azahara Munoz each making their third Olympic appearance. The other three Sun Devils made their Olympic debut, as Linn Grant (Sweden), Alessandra Fanali (Italy), and Alexandra Forsterling (Germany) each earned a spot in the iconic competition.
ELITE COMPANY
The Sun Devils are one of just eight Division I Women's Golf teams to earn a spot at NCAA Regionals every year for the past 31 seasons. Only traditional powers Arizona State, Arizona, Duke, Florida, Stanford, USC, UCLA and Wake Forest have qualified for a regional each time since the postseason format changed in 1993. Arizona State is one of only five schools to receive a Top-3 seed in each of the last four NCAA Regional selections. They are joined by only Wake Forest South Carolina, LSU, and USC in this exclusive group, an indicator of the consistent success of Coach Farr-Kaye's program.
A TRADITION LIKE NO OTHER
During the past five decades, many of the premier amateur women's golfers have called Arizona State University home. Arizona State won its NCAA-leading eighth national championship title in 2017 to reinforce its standing as the premier women's golf school in the United States. Under legendary Head Coach Linda Vollstedt, the program became the first in women's collegiate golf to win six championships in a decade (1990, '93, '94, '95, '97, '98). ASU remains the lone program to ever capture three national titles in a row (1993, '94, '95). The Sun Devil Golf programs did something in 1990 that had never been done before and hasn't been accomplished since. ASU swept both the Men's and Women's Team National Titles in 1990, becoming the first school to capture both championships in the same year.
HERE FOR THE LONG HAUL
Sun Devil Athletics was thrilled to extend four of its head coaches back in December of 2023, including Women's Golf Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye. Entering her ninth year with ASU, Farr-Kaye has been extended through the 2027-28 athletic calendar. She completed the trifecta in 2017, becoming the first individual in NCAA history to win a National Championship as a player, assistant coach, and head coach at the same school.
THE BIRD
The Thunderbirds Golf Complex, designed by Douglas Fredrickson Architects and built by Rummel Construction Inc., is a 7,000-square foot facility featuring a grand entry lobby, national championship displays, a team gym and locker rooms for both men's and women's teams, a fueling station, study lounge, team lounge, indoor hitting bays and more. Designed by Sun Devil alumnus and five-time PGA Major Championships winner Phil Mickelson, who is known for his short-game expertise, the four-acre practice area consists of five practice greens, four practice bunkers and a three-acre fairway and rough designed to practice every possible golf shot. On Nov. 1, 2018, Papago Golf Course became the new home for Sun Devil Men's & Women's Golf with the unveiling of their new state-of-the-art practice facility -- The Thunderbirds Golf Complex -- through the generous commitment by The Thunderbirds organization. Arizona State, in partnership with The Thunderbirds, Arizona Golf Community Foundation, the City of Phoenix and Phil Mickelson Design, revitalized the course and helped build the Lou Grubb Clubhouse and Lou's Bar & Grill.
FANTASTIC FIVE
Patience Rhodes, Grace Summerhays, Paula Schulz-Hanssen, and Beth Coulter all return having gained another year of valuable experience. Highly-touted incoming freshman Isla McDonald-O'Brien joins the program, forming a talented 2024-25 roster under the direction of Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye and Assistant Coach Mikayla Tatman.
HOW TO FOLLOW
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). Find Coach Farr-Kaye (@missymkaye) and Coach Tatman (@CoachMikayla_) on X as well.
COACH'S CORNER
"This team is going to ask more of themselves this year than they did last year," Coach Farr-Kaye reflected. "After all was said and done last year, they looked around at the teams that were playing on Monday in match play and realized, 'we are just as good as any of those teams in the top five.' There is really nothing that we don't have. I've started to hear that in what they're saying and Isla is just gonna fit right into that space. The returning four are very driven and have a little bit of chip on their shoulder after feeling a little disrespected at times last year, even after a couple of great wins. What's important is that they believe it and they see it. They're gonna do everything in their power to get us into the top five by the time we get to match play at La Costa."
ISLA MCDONALD-O'BRIEN JOINS THE FAMILY
McDonald-O'Brien is one of seven members of the English Junior Girls National Team, establishing herself as a rising star in the golf-laden nation. Just two years removed from securing the No. 1-ranked signing class in the nation, Arizona State has once again earned a significant signature. Farr-Kaye and the Sun Devil Women's Golf program look to continue their string of success with European golfers. The program prides itself on having a rich tradition of developing European golfers.
"We are thrilled to welcome Isla to our team next year. She is a great competitor and will bring her many high level qualities to our team. Isla is very determined to be one of the best collegiate golfers in the US." - Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye
PATIENCE RHODES & BETH COULTER WIN CURTIS CUP
For the first time since 2016, Great Britain and Ireland defeated the United States at the Curtis Cup. Beth Coulter and Patience Rhodes were two of the eight members of the victorious Great Britain and Ireland squad. Coulter teamed up with Lorna McClymont to win their Saturday fourball match over Auburn's Anna Davis and 2024 The Women's Amateur champion Melanie Green. Patience Rhodes took down UCLA's Zoe Campos in Sunday's singles competition.
PAULA SCHULZ-HANSSEN EUROPEAN TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Paula Schulz-Hanssen was part of the winning German squad at the 2024 European Ladies' Team Championship in Madrid. It was only Germany's second European Team Title in the 65-year history of the event. Schulz-Hanssen was sensational in Match Play, going a perfect 6-0 to lead Germany to one of the biggest wins in the naiton's history.
PLAYER NOTES
Grace Summerhays, Senior
- Currently ranked No. 153 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings
- Competed at the 2024 U.S. Women's Amateur
- Participated in the 2023 U.S. Women's Open
- 2023 Pac-12 All-Conference First Team selection
- Seven Top-10, 14 Top-20 finishes in her career
- Tied for first at the 2023 Patriot All-American Golf Tournament
- Recorded 90 birdies (third on the team) and four eagles (t-2nd on the team)
- Highest finisher on the team at the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate (7th), which Arizona State won over a field containing six of the Top-10 teams in the nation
- Delivered a Top-10 performance at the 2023 PING/ASU Invitaitonal
- 5-2 career match play record in college
Beth Coulter, Junior
- Currently ranked No. 74 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, highest of any Sun Devil
- The 31st-ranked female amateur golfer in all of Europe (U21)
- Went 4-2 in Match Play at the 2024 Women's Home Internationals
- Teammed up with Patience Rhodes to win the 2024 Curtis Cup as part of Team Great Britain & Ireland
- Team GB&I's first win in the event since 2016
- Silver medalist at the 2023 Pac-12 Women's Golf Championship (finished only behind Rose Zhang)
- One of only four freshman to receive Pac-12 All-Conference distinction after the 2023 season
- Two Top-10, eight Top-20 finishes in her career
- Recorded 91 birdies (second on the team) and four eagles (t-2nd on the team)
- Carded a career-low 65 (-7) in the second round of the Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational on her way to a fifth-place finish
- Currently ranked No. 98 nationally by Clipp'd. 2-4-1 match play record in college
Paula Schulz-Hanssen, Junior
- Currently ranked No. 119 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings
- The 28th-ranked female amateur golfer in all of Europe for her age group (U25)
- Won the 2024 European Ladies' Team Championship with Germany
- Went 6-0 in Match Play leading her country to victory at European Team Championship
- Germany's second European Team Title in the 65-year history of the event
- Four Top-10, ten Top-20 finishes in her career
- Recorded 84 birdies and five eagles (most on the team)
- Finished tied for fifth at the Mason Rudolph Invitational, opening with a 67 (-5)
- Earned sixth place at the Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational thanks to rounds of 71-68-69
- Cracked the Top-20 at the 2024 NCAA Cle Elum Regional, helping ASU advance to the 2024 NCAA Championship
Patience Rhodes, Redshirt Sophomore
- Currently ranked No. 101 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings
- Went 4-2 in Match Play at the 2024 Women's Home Internationals
- Teammed up with Beth Coutler to win the 2024 Curtis Cup as part of Team Great Britain & Ireland
- Team GB&I's first win in the event since 2016
- Member of the English Women's National Team. Teamed up with her sister to lead England to silver at the 2023 European Ladies' Team Championship
- Former English Girls' Open Amateur Stroke Play Champion
- Played in every event for Arizona State during her redshirt freshman campaign. Battled back from an injury last year that prevented her from competing
- Recorded three straight rounds in the 60s at the Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational, helping her finish third with a 205 (-11)
- One Top-10, four Top-20 finishes in her debut season
- Recorded 86 birdies and two eagles
- 2-1-1 match play record in college
Isla McDonald-O'Brien
- Highly-ranked European amateur
- Went 4-0 in Match Play at the 2024 Women's Home Internationals
- Member of the England Girls National Team, one of only seven to make the squad
- Currently ranked No. 403 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings
- The 22nd-ranked female amateur golfer in all of Europe in her age group (U18)
- Nine Top-10 finishes at WAGR-counting events
- Captured the Fairhaven Trophy in April of 2023, her first individual stroke play win at the international level
- Competed at both the Spanish (30th) and Portuguese (27th) International Ladies' Championship, holding her own facing off with golfers of all ages
- Earned the opportunity to compete at the 2023 World Junior Girls Championship, finishing 28th in a field of 66 of the top amateur female golfers in the world
- Finished tied for third at the R&A Championship in August of 2023
- Represented England at the 2024 & 2023 European Girls Team Championship
- Runner-up for the Peter McAvoy Trophy in 2022
- Brother Rory currently a member of the men's golf team at Eastern Michigan
ONE QUESTION WITH EACH SUN DEVIL
What part of the game have you improved the most since arriving at Arizona State?
"My chipping has gotten much better. This facility (Thunderbird Golf Complex) provides a lot of different shots. So, I'd say chipping."
Which tournament are you looking forward to playing in the most this year?
"Probably Nanea Tournament in Hawaii. It was one of my favorites freshman year. We also get to ride in carts and the weather is really good and the beaches are really cool. I'm really looking forward to that one."
How much more comfortable do you feel heading into your second year at the collegiate level?
"Way more comfortable. I was able to travel with the team last year, so I got to know everyone way better and it's a smaller group. I feel like everyone's going to be much closer and I know the coaches really well now, so it's going to be a fun season."
How much of a confidence boost did you get from your successful offseason?
"I'd say a lot, a lot of the girls that I played against I will see here in college and then Beth and Patience were there, so that was a lot of fun too. It really helped. Especially because it was match play, which we don't really play here, but it's one versus one. It was really cool."
Coach Tatman
What was your favorite part about year one with Arizona State?
"I'd say a lot, a lot of the girls that I played against I will see here in college and then Beth and Patience were there, so that was a lot of fun too. It really helped. Especially because it was match play, which we don't really play here, but it's one versus one. It was really cool."
Arizona State is considered one of the best teams in the nation heading into the 2024-25 season. Golfweek recently tabbed them as the No. 9 team in the country in their preseason rankings. GOLF Channel also has high expectations for Coach Farr-Kaye's group, coming in at No. 14 in the publication's verion of a preseason poll. The Women's Golf Coaches Association releases a preseason poll on Sept. 6.
Golfweek: #9
GOLF Channel: #14
WGCA: #12
All four individuals are in currently ranked in the Top-153 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR), led by Beth Coulter at No. 74.
2024-25 Arizona State Women's Golf Schedule
Arizona State will be tested throughout the campaign as Coach Farr-Kaye built one of the nation's toughest slates once again. The Maroon and Gold will compete in a total of ten regular season events, five in the Fall and five in the Spring. The postseason begins April 15 at the Big 12 Championship, with NCAA Regionals and NCAA Championships scheduled for the month of May.
ANNIKA Intercollegiate – Sept. 9-11 (Lake Elmo, MN)
Mason Rudolph Championship – Sept. 20-22 (Franklin, TN)
Windy City Collegiate Classic – Sept. 30 - Oct. 1 (Wilmette, IL)
Stanford Intercollegiate – Oct. 18-20 (Stanford, CA)
Nanea Invitational - Oct. 28-30 (Kailua-Kona, HI)
Match in the Desert – January 27 (Gold Canyon, AZ)*
Therese Hession Regional Challenge – Feb. 2-4 (Palos Verdes, CA)
Darius Rucker Intercollegiate – March 3-5 (Hilton Head Island, SC)
Clover Cup – March 10-12 (Litchfield Park, AZ | Wigwam Golf Club)*
PING/ASU Invitational – March 28-30 (Phoenix, AZ | Papago Golf Club)*
Big 12 Championship – April 15-17 (Hockley, TX)
NCAA Regionals – May 5-7 (Columbus, Ohio; Lexington, Kentucky; Norman, Oklahoma; Lubbock, Texas; Charlottesville, Virginia; Gold Canyon, Arizona)*
NCAA Championship – May 16-21 (La Costa, CA; Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, Champions Course)
Italicized = Home Tournament
*Held in the state of Arizona
EMPTY THE NOTEBOOK
- Arizona State is one of ten teams that made the 2024 NCAA Championship and returns four members from that team.
- The Sun Devils will face a team in the Top-10 of GOLF Channel's preseason rankings a total of 28 times this year.
- Missy Farr-Kaye enters her ninth season as the Head Coach of Sun Devil Women's Golf. She is tied with Bobby Hurley (Men's Basketball) and Greg Powers (Hockey) as the second-longest tenured Sun Devil Athletics Head Coach. She trails only Zeke Jones, who is getting ready for his 10th year at the helm of the Sun Devil wrestling program.
- ASU has the chance to play in the state of Arizona up to four times this year. Regular season events have them playing Superstition Mountain Golf Club (Gold Canyon), Wigwam Golf Club (Litchfield Park), and Papago Golf Club (Phoenix). Should they qualify for a regional, the Sun Devils would compete at Superstition Mountain Golf Club a second time, serving as one of six regional hosts.
65/-7 Beth Coulter (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational second round/March 18, 2024)
67/-5 Paula Schulz-Hanssen (Mason Rudolph Invitational first round/Sept. 22, 2023)
68/-4 Grace Summerhays (PING/ASU Invitational third round/March 30, 2024)
68/-4 Patience Rhodes (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational third round/March 19, 2024)
68/-4 Patience Rhodes (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational first round/March 17, 2024)
68/-4 Paula Schulz-Hanssen (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational second round/March 18, 2024)
68/-4 Patience Rhodes (McGuire Invitational second round/Sept. 11, 2023)
68/-3 Patience Rhodes (Darius Rucker Intercollegiate first round/March 4, 2024)
68/-3 Grace Summerhays (Darius Rucker Intercollegiate first round/March 4, 2024)
68/-3 Grace Summerhays (Darius Rucker Intercollegiate second round/March 5, 2024)
69/-3 Paula Schulz-Hanssen (Pac-12 Championship second round/April 22, 2024)
69/-3 Patience Rhodes (PING/ASU Invitational first round/March 28, 2024)
69/-3 Paula Schulz-Hanssen (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational third round/March 19, 2024)
69/-3 Patience Rhodes (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational second round/March 18, 2024)
69/-3 Paula Schulz-Hanssen (Mason Rudolph Invitational third round/Sept. 24, 2023)
69/-3 Beth Coulter (Mason Rudolph Invitational first round/Sept. 22, 2023)
69/-3 Beth Coulter (McGuire Invitational second round/Sept. 11, 2023)
69/-3 Calynne Rosholt (Windy City first round/Oct. 2, 2023)
69/-2 Patience Rhodes (Stanford Intercollegiate third round/Oct. 23, 2023)
TOP FINISHES IN 2023-24 (BY RETURNING PLAYERS)
3rd - Patience Rhodes (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational)
5th - Beth Coulter (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational)
T5th - Paula Schulz-Hanssen (Mason Rudolph Invitational)
6th - Paula Schulz-Hanssen (Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational)
T7th - Grace Summerhays (Darius Rucker Intercollegiate)
T9th - Grace Summerhays (PING/ASU Invitational)
12th - Beth Coulter (Cle Elum Regional)
T12th - Patience Rhodes (Darius Rucker Intercollegiate)
T12th - Beth Coulter (Darius Rucker Intercollegiate)
T14th - Grace Summerhays (McGuire Invitational)
BIRDIES BY SUN DEVIL (2023-24 SEASON TOTALS)
Beth Coulter - 91 (plus 4 Eagles)
Grace Summerhays - 90 (plus 4 Eagles)
Patience Rhodes - 86 (plus 2 Eagles)
Paula Schulz-Hanssen - 84 (plus 5 Eagles)
CAREER APPEARANCES
Grace Summerhays, 33 (30 stroke; 3 match)
Beth Coulter, 24 (21 stroke; 3 match)
Paula Schulz-Hanssen, 24 (21 stroke; 3 match)
Patience Rhodes, 11 (9 stroke; 2 match)
CAREER TOP-20 FINISHES
Grace Summerhays, 14
Paula Schulz-Hanssen, 10
Beth Coulter, 8
Patience Rhodes, 4
AZAHARA MUNOZ INDUCTED INTO ASU HALL OF FAME
Sun Devil Women's Golf legend Azahara Munoz is part of the 2024 Sun Devil Athletics Hall of Fame class. Munoz is one of six Hall of Fame inductees as a part of a loaded 2024 class, joined by one Hall of Distinction selection. A luncheon honoring the class will be held on Friday, Oct. 4, at ASU's Old Main, while honorees will be introduced at the Sun Devil football game on Saturday, Oct. 5, against Kansas. Munoz becomes the 20th individual from Sun Devil Women's Golf to enter the Hall of Fame and is the 21st overall inductee with ties to the program. Women's Golf has been represented in three of the past four Hall of Fame classes (2019, 2022, 2024). The most recent representative from Women's Golf entered back in 2022, when Anna Nordqvist was honored.
"We are extremely proud of Aza for all that she has accomplished in her illustrious career," Sun Devil Women's Golf Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye remarked. "She is a proud Sun Devil and is very deserving of this honor. There is no doubt she is one of the best players we have ever had come through our program."
Azahara Munoz left Arizona State as one of the most decorated golfers in program history.
- Captured the 2008 NCAA Individual Title in dramatic fashion, winning in a playoff to become the ninth Sun Devil to win the National Championship.
- Buried a clutch 25-foot putt to defeat UCLA's Tiffany Joh in the winner-take-all playoff.
- Helped lead Arizona State to the 2009 NCAA Championship, its seventh in school history and first since 1998.
- One of only four four-time All-Americans in the illustrious history of the Sun Devil Women's Golf Program.
- The top-placing Sun Devil at the 2009 NCAA Championships, earning her second-career Top-5 National finish by finishing in fourth place.
- Landed on the Pac-10 First Team All-Conference in each of her four seasons in Tempe.
- Compiled an incredible 31 Top-10 finishes in 39 career appearances as a Sun Devil.
- The first two-time recipient of the prestigious Edith Cummings Munson Award, which is given to the top collegiate female golfers nationally who also excel in academics.
- Graduated summa cum laude with a 3.98 in psychology.
- 2009 Pac-10 Scholar Athlete of the Year.
- Four-time NGCA Academic All-American and two-time ESPN The Magazine First-Team Academic All-American.
- While attending Arizona State, she competed internationally as one of the top-ranked amateurs in the world.
- Finished as the runner-up at the 2008 U.S. Women's Amateur, won the 2009 Ladies British Amateur Championship, and competed for Spain in the 2006 Women's World Amateur.
Sun Devil Women's Golf had more representatives than any other collegiate women's golf program at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Five Arizona State products competed in the most prestigous international event on the golf calendar. Both of the Spanish qualifiers were Sun Devils, with Carlota Ciganda and Azahara Munoz each making their third Olympic appearance. The other three Sun Devils made their Olympic debut, as Linn Grant (Sweden), Alessandra Fanali (Italy), and Alexandra Forsterling (Germany) each earned a spot in the iconic competition.
WE'RE NUMBER 1?? ??@SunDevilWGolf has the most competitors of any women's golf program at the @Paris2024 Olympics ??@TheSunDevils /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/QjJMlO2I63
— Sun Devil W. Golf (@SunDevilWGolf) August 5, 2024
ELITE COMPANY
The Sun Devils are one of just eight Division I Women's Golf teams to earn a spot at NCAA Regionals every year for the past 31 seasons. Only traditional powers Arizona State, Arizona, Duke, Florida, Stanford, USC, UCLA and Wake Forest have qualified for a regional each time since the postseason format changed in 1993. Arizona State is one of only five schools to receive a Top-3 seed in each of the last four NCAA Regional selections. They are joined by only Wake Forest South Carolina, LSU, and USC in this exclusive group, an indicator of the consistent success of Coach Farr-Kaye's program.
A TRADITION LIKE NO OTHER
During the past five decades, many of the premier amateur women's golfers have called Arizona State University home. Arizona State won its NCAA-leading eighth national championship title in 2017 to reinforce its standing as the premier women's golf school in the United States. Under legendary Head Coach Linda Vollstedt, the program became the first in women's collegiate golf to win six championships in a decade (1990, '93, '94, '95, '97, '98). ASU remains the lone program to ever capture three national titles in a row (1993, '94, '95). The Sun Devil Golf programs did something in 1990 that had never been done before and hasn't been accomplished since. ASU swept both the Men's and Women's Team National Titles in 1990, becoming the first school to capture both championships in the same year.
HERE FOR THE LONG HAUL
Sun Devil Athletics was thrilled to extend four of its head coaches back in December of 2023, including Women's Golf Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye. Entering her ninth year with ASU, Farr-Kaye has been extended through the 2027-28 athletic calendar. She completed the trifecta in 2017, becoming the first individual in NCAA history to win a National Championship as a player, assistant coach, and head coach at the same school.
THE BIRD
The Thunderbirds Golf Complex, designed by Douglas Fredrickson Architects and built by Rummel Construction Inc., is a 7,000-square foot facility featuring a grand entry lobby, national championship displays, a team gym and locker rooms for both men's and women's teams, a fueling station, study lounge, team lounge, indoor hitting bays and more. Designed by Sun Devil alumnus and five-time PGA Major Championships winner Phil Mickelson, who is known for his short-game expertise, the four-acre practice area consists of five practice greens, four practice bunkers and a three-acre fairway and rough designed to practice every possible golf shot. On Nov. 1, 2018, Papago Golf Course became the new home for Sun Devil Men's & Women's Golf with the unveiling of their new state-of-the-art practice facility -- The Thunderbirds Golf Complex -- through the generous commitment by The Thunderbirds organization. Arizona State, in partnership with The Thunderbirds, Arizona Golf Community Foundation, the City of Phoenix and Phil Mickelson Design, revitalized the course and helped build the Lou Grubb Clubhouse and Lou's Bar & Grill.
FANTASTIC FIVE
Patience Rhodes, Grace Summerhays, Paula Schulz-Hanssen, and Beth Coulter all return having gained another year of valuable experience. Highly-touted incoming freshman Isla McDonald-O'Brien joins the program, forming a talented 2024-25 roster under the direction of Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye and Assistant Coach Mikayla Tatman.
HOW TO FOLLOW
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). Find Coach Farr-Kaye (@missymkaye) and Coach Tatman (@CoachMikayla_) on X as well.