Sun Devils 1997-1998 Outlook
The Sun Devils have won five of the last eight national women's golf championships.
Expectations are high as the Arizona State women's golf team kicks off the 1997-98 season. The Sun Devils return all five members of last year's national championship team. In addition, ASU adds the number one amateur in the country to the lineup. No pressure, right?
Right.
"We always take one tournament at time to prepare for nationals - that won't change. It's great to know all five players return from last season's team along with freshman Grace Park. It should be an exciting year for us," said head coach Linda Vollstedt, now in her 18th season at the helm of the Arizona State program. Vollstedt has led the Devils to five national championships in the last eight years.
Last season, the Devils entered post season play with just one tournament victory under their belts. But the competition at the 1997 NCAA West Regional soon figured out ASU was peaking at the right time. Led by junior Jeanne-Marie Busuttil, who tied for second individually, Arizona State took a one-stroke victory over Arizona, shooting a three-day total of 865. Then it was on to nationals.
Despite the win at regionals, ASU was in the role of underdog with defending national champion Arizona still favored to repeat. It didn't matter, though. Arizona State would not be denied. During the competition, the Devils received many clutch performances but none larger than that of sophomore Tui Selvaratnam who shot a women's course record five-under-par 67 on the third day of NCAA action. She would finish the tournament tied for seventh individually. On the final day of competition, the Devils began the day in a tie for first with perennial powerhouse San Jose State. ASU took a slim two-stroke lead, behind the solid play of Kellee Booth and Keri Cornelius, which would be all they needed to collect their fifth national championship.
"Last year was really exciting because we came in as the underdog but knew we were prepared to win a national championship. The team worked hard all year and after our win at regionals, the squad was confident in their ability. Winning regionals was a major boost and was the key to our success. We peaked at the right time," noted Vollstedt, who won her fifth GolfWeek Collegiate Coach of the year honor in 1997.
The Sun Devils are poised for an encore performance in 1998 lead by seniors Kellee Booth and Jeanne-Marie Busuttil.
Booth, a three-time All-American, will look to finish out her stellar career in style. Although the California native is a consistent top-10 finisher, she is still searching for her first individual title. Booth has finished second four times and has 21 career top-10 finishes. The three-time All-Pacific-10 selection has also excelled in the classroom garnering GTE first-team Academic All-American honors in 1997. For her all-around performance over her career, Booth was honored as the 1997 Dinah Shore Trophy recipient.
"Kellee Booth has been a major contributor to the team for the past three years. Her experience this year as senior will be key to our performance. She is an all-around student-athlete, excelling both on the course and in the classroom. She has been a team leader and role model for other college athletes", Vollstedt said.
The Devils will also turn to senior Jeanne-Marie Busuttil (Chantilly, France) to provide consistency in 1998. Busuttil, a two-time All-America selection, had seven top-20 finishes last year including two runner-up finishes (GolfWorld/Palmetto Dunes Collegiate and the '97 West Regional). In her first year of Pac-10 competition, Busuttil received all-conference honors (second team).
"Jeanne-Marie is one of the hardest workers on the team. She can always be counted on and is a very consistent ball-striker with a strong desire to win", noted Vollstedt.
Arizona State should also receive a strong performance from junior Keri Cornelius (Scottsdale, Arizona). The 1997 Pac-10 honorable mention selection has made steady improvement in her game since coming to ASU. Cornelius had also excelled in the classroom earning first-team Pac-10 All-Academic honors in '97. The Xavier Prep grad turned in six top-25 finishes last season, including a sixth-place finish at the Pacific-10 Championships.
"Keri has improved each year at Arizona State and was a surprise finisher last year in competition. Her course management and level head have produced consistent scores and she can only get better. Her final performance at nationals (Cornelius shot rounds of 73 and 72 on the final two days of competition) were instrumental in our victory. She is a quiet leader and has a calming effect on the team," Vollstedt said.
Another junior looking to leave her mark is Tui Selvaratnam (Colombo, Sri Lanka). A second-team Pac-10 All-Academic pick, Selvaratnam picked up her game at the end of the '97 season and finished with a bang. At nationals she recorded a career low five-under par 67 in the third round and set a women's course record. She notched four top-20 finishes in 1997 and ended the season ranked 35th in the country.
"Tui's strongest performance came at nationals, which is a coaches dream. Her hard work and dedication paid off at the right time. Watching her shoot a course record 67, was the highlight of the tournament. She definitely put us in a position to win NCAA's ," noted Vollstedt.
Rounding out the trio of juniors is Jody Niemann (Rigby, Idaho). The two-time honorable mention All-Pac-10 selection, turned in a third place performance at the Pioneer Electronics Bruin Classic to card her top finish of the '97 season. Niemann has worked hard on bringing consistency to her game and it should pay of this season.
"Jody is a real team player and produced some low and consistent scores last season. Her final round at nationals (one-over 73) was a huge contribution to our championship. Jody's bubbly personality and sense of humor make her a joy to be around," said Vollstedt.
ASU's lone sophomore is Michaela Friberg (Rydeback, Sweden). Friberg saw limited action last season, but shot a collegiate career-low round of one-over-par 73 at the PING/ASU Invitational last year. She should continue to show improvements to her game in the 1997-98 season.
"Michaela comes to the program with great credentials. Her performance last year proved she is ready to compete at this level. She is a strong player and loves the spirit of competition," Vollstedt said.
Making her highly anticipated collegiate debut, will be freshman Grace Park (Phoenix, Arizona). An incredibly gifted athlete, the Horizon High School graduate will have an immediate impact on the collegiate links. Park was the American Junior Golf Association Player of the Year in 1996 and is a five-time Rolex Junior All-American. She is a three-time Arizona High School State Champion (1994-96). Park earned runner-up honors at the 1997 Canadian Amateur over the summer.
"Grace Park comes in as one of the top recruits ever to enter Arizona State. Her record speaks for itself. She will undoubtedly be one of the best players to come out of the college ranks. She is a gifted athlete who has a knack for producing low scores. Grace will come in and make an immediate impact not only at ASU but in the collegiate golf community," noted Vollstedt.
True to form, Arizona State will once again face the nations top teams with a demanding schedule in 1997-98. The Devils will face top 10 competition in every tournament this season. It is the kind of schedule that will prepare the Devils for nationals in the spring.
"We have a very strong schedule and will be playing on a variety of courses that will prepare us for the challenge of nationals in Wisconsin," said Vollstedt. "The course for nationals (University Ridge Golf Course) is challenging. The front side is wide open - more of a links type course similar to Karsten. The back side is a tight tree-lined course.
"Overall, this will be a really exciting year with very talented group of players who know how to succeed at the highest levels. We are up to the challenge of repeating."