TEMPE, Ariz. – The No. 2 Sun Devil Women's Golf team prepares for the Spring portion of their 2019-20 regular season, which begins this Sunday at Superstition Mountain Golf Course in Gold Canyon, Arizona.
The Sun Devils will start the Spring for the second consecutive season competing in a Tri-Meet that includes No. 20 UCLA and tournament host No. 50 Denver. The teams will play one round (18 holes) this Sunday, January 26 teeing-off at 9:10 a.m. at Superstition Mountain Golf Course in Gold Canyon (8000 East Club Village Drive, Gold Canyon, AZ). It represents the first of five events in the Spring, highlighted by the PING/ASU Invitational, hosted by ASU at Papago Golf Course March 27-29.
A season ago, Alessandra Fanali made her collegiate debut at the Tri-Meet, as Arizona State edged out Georgia and host Denver to secure a first-place finish. Alexandra Forsterling carded the best score of the day, firing a 69 (-3) to pace the Sun Devils. Olivia Mehaffey delivered one of her 58 career rounds under par, recording a 71 (-1) to finishing tied for third.
Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye will only be temporarily satisfied with the team's excellent first-half performance. "We had a really great Fall season," she remarked. "I am really excited about how we moved up to No. 2 in the rankings. The Fall was great, but now it's time to get back to it."
2019 FALL RECAP
A team title at the Stanford Intercollegiate and a top-four finish in each of their first four tournaments of the season shot the Sun Devils up to No. 2 in the national rankings. This Arizona State team has already impacted the record book, as they have put together three of the Top-12 54-Hole Team Scores vs. par in program history. Coach Farr-Kaye's squad competed among loaded fields at some of the toughest tournaments of the Fall season, leaving her team battle-tested and ready for the stretch run.
A reflection of Coach Farr-Kaye and Coach Estill's recruiting efforts, Arizona State's lineup will feature six golfers all from a European country. Spain, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Sweden are all represented on the 2019-20 roster. Combining these cultures has created a unique bond between teammates and the coaching staff.
2020 SPRING PREVIEW
"The Spring semester is a new season and we add Amanda Linner to our lineup," Coach Farr-Kaye stated. "I truly believe we are the strongest six-woman team in the country. We have a really good schedule and we are excited to face all the top teams before we even get to NCAA Regionals and Nationals."
The Spring season begins this Sunday, January 26 as the Sun Devils stay in the state of Arizona. Superstition Mountain Golf Course is the scene of the one-day matchup with No. 20 UCLA and No. 50 Denver in Gold Canyon, Arizona. The three teams will play one 18-hole round starting at 9 am MST.
Returning to the site of the 2019 Pac-12 Championship, the Sun Devils will participate in the Northrup Grumman Regional Challenge. The tournament is in Palos Verdes, Calif. runs February 9-11 and features a loaded field. Olivia Mehaffey captured the Pac-12 Individual Championship at Palos Verdes Golf Club last April.
Arizona State will then head south of the border to take part in the Guadalajara International Invitational. The event hosted by Virginia runs February 16-18 and will take place at Guadalajara Country Club in Mexico.
The team will make its second trip of the season to Hawaii for the Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational. The University of Hawaii hosts the tournament at Kane'Ohe Klipper Golf Course on the island of Oahu running March 10-11.
The main event of the Spring happens in the Sun Devils' backyard, as ASU hosts the PING/ASU Invitational at their home course, Papago Golf Course in Phoenix. The final regular season tournament runs March 27-29 and will prepare the team for postseason play, as a strong field is littered with highly-ranked teams.
Postseason play begins at the Pac-12 Championships Apr. 24-26, hosted by Stanford. The Sun Devils have proven to be comfortable at Stanford Golf Course, previously winning the Stanford Intercollegiate in October.
NCAA Regionals are scheduled for May 11-13 and offer four possible destinations. 2020 Regional sites are Athens, Ga., South Bend Ind., Pullman, Wash., and Raleigh, NC. The NCAA Championship hosted by Arizona State at Grayhawk Golf Course in Scottsdale runs from May 22-27.
"This team is ready to go," Coach Farr-Kaye added. "They have a terrific mindset, they are strong and tough, and they love to compete. They have a tremendous love to compete which is such a fantastic asset to take with you on the golf course. We are really excited and can't wait to compete."
Spring Schedule
January 26 – vs. UCLA & Denver (Gold Canyon, AZ)
February 9-11 – Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge (Palos Verdes, CA)
February 16-18 – Guadalajara International Invitational (Guadalajara, Mexico)
March 10-11 – Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational (Oahu, HI)
March 27-29 – PING/ASU Invitational (Phoenix, AZ)
April 24-26 – Pac-12 Championship (Stanford, CA)
May 11-13 – NCAA Regionals (Athens/Notre Dame/Pullman/Raleigh)
May 22-27 – NCAA Championship (Scottsdale, AZ)
SUN DEVILS IN THE POLLS
Arizona State enters the Spring season ranked as the consensus No. 2 team in the country. The three major outlets that distribute a poll regularly throughout the season, Golfweek/Sagarin, Golfstat, and WGCA, all have the Sun Devils behind Texas in their final fall rankings. ASU is joined by fellow Pac-12 schools Arizona, Stanford, and USC in the Top-10, making the conference one of the strongest in the country.
LOOKING AHEAD
A reminder that Arizona State University and Grayhawk Golf Club will host the 2020 through 2022 NCAA Division I Men's & Women's Golf Championships on Golf Channel in Scottsdale, Ariz. "Hosting our first National Championship at Grayhawk is going to be a great way to round out the year," Coach Farr-Kaye mentioned. It becomes the first time a university and golf course will host the championships for three consecutive seasons. The Women's portion of the tournament will run May 22-27. It will be the first time ASU has hosted an NCAA Golf Championship since the women hosted in 1992.
HOW TO FOLLOW
For the latest updates and information on the Sun Devil Women's Golf program, follow our Twitter/Instagram platforms (@SunDevilWGolf), like our Facebook page (facebook.com/sundevilwgolf/), and our website (thesundevils.com).
The Sun Devils will start the Spring for the second consecutive season competing in a Tri-Meet that includes No. 20 UCLA and tournament host No. 50 Denver. The teams will play one round (18 holes) this Sunday, January 26 teeing-off at 9:10 a.m. at Superstition Mountain Golf Course in Gold Canyon (8000 East Club Village Drive, Gold Canyon, AZ). It represents the first of five events in the Spring, highlighted by the PING/ASU Invitational, hosted by ASU at Papago Golf Course March 27-29.
A season ago, Alessandra Fanali made her collegiate debut at the Tri-Meet, as Arizona State edged out Georgia and host Denver to secure a first-place finish. Alexandra Forsterling carded the best score of the day, firing a 69 (-3) to pace the Sun Devils. Olivia Mehaffey delivered one of her 58 career rounds under par, recording a 71 (-1) to finishing tied for third.
Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye will only be temporarily satisfied with the team's excellent first-half performance. "We had a really great Fall season," she remarked. "I am really excited about how we moved up to No. 2 in the rankings. The Fall was great, but now it's time to get back to it."
2019 FALL RECAP
A team title at the Stanford Intercollegiate and a top-four finish in each of their first four tournaments of the season shot the Sun Devils up to No. 2 in the national rankings. This Arizona State team has already impacted the record book, as they have put together three of the Top-12 54-Hole Team Scores vs. par in program history. Coach Farr-Kaye's squad competed among loaded fields at some of the toughest tournaments of the Fall season, leaving her team battle-tested and ready for the stretch run.
Linn Grant has made a seamless transition to the collegiate game, finishing each of her first four tournaments under par. The freshman has three Top-10 finishes to her name, highlighted by a 207 (-6) performance at the Stanford Intercollegiate to earn third place. Grant was one of two Sun Devils recently invited to the Augusta National Women's Amateur with a shot at playing a round at the iconic Augusta National Golf Course.Stanford Intercollegiate CHAMPIONS!
— Sun Devil W. Golf (@SunDevilWGolf) October 13, 2019
A furious charge on the final day secures the first title of the season for the Sun Devils! #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/gEt2MQYo5E
Joining Grant in receiving a second consecutive invite to the Augusta National Women's Amateur is Olivia Mehaffey. The senior completed the final Fall season of her career, earning two Top-25 finishes. Her performance at the Stanford Intercollegiate was a big reason why the Sun Devils were able to take home the team title, as she ended the event even (213) and tied for 13th place. Mehaffey looks to continue to build on her record-setting career with a history of playing her best golf during this time of the year.She's only a freshman?!?!? ??
— Sun Devil W. Golf (@SunDevilWGolf) October 15, 2019
3? tournaments, 3? Top-?? finishes for Linn Grant, who is enjoying a sensational to start to her 2019-20 campaign! #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/lCSTZshK1K
Raquel Olmos put together her best stretch of golf prior to the break, as the junior looks to carry over the momentum into the Spring. She caught fire on the final day of the Stanford Intercollegiate, firing a 66 (-5) to move into a tie for 5th. Olmos' fifth career Top-10 finish came in the last tournament of the Fall at the Pac-12 Preview, as she shot a 214 (-5) to end in sixth place.???????? ???? ???????? ??????
— Sun Devil W. Golf (@SunDevilWGolf) January 16, 2020
For the second straight year, @SunDevilWGolf's Olivia Mehaffey and Linn Grant have been invited to participate in the @anwagolf for a shot to play at the prestigious Augusta National Golf Club! ????????#ForksUp pic.twitter.com/AaNTlCd1Ef
The consistent and steady presence of Alexandra Forsterling in the lineup was a big factor in the Sun Devils ascend to No. 2 in the rankings. The sophomore earned a spot in the Top-20 at three of the first four events, including most recently recording her second-career Top-10 finish at the Pac-12 Preview.Raquel Olmos was on a mission during the final day of the Stanford Intercollegiate! ??
— Sun Devil W. Golf (@SunDevilWGolf) October 14, 2019
Her third round score of 6?6? matched a career-low and helped propel the Sun Devils to victory #O2V #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/3IBk9wUbJs
Alessandra Fanali started her season off on the right foot, recording her first collegiate hole-in-one on the par-three 15th hole at the Royal Golf Club (Lake Elmo, MN) in the first round of the ANNIKA Intercollegiate. Fanali has three Top-20 finishes to her name so far this season, cracking the Top-10 at the Windy City Collegiate.?? Sun Devils finished in the Top-?? at the Pac-12 Preview! Alexandra Forsterling ends up tied for 10th, the second-best finish of her career! #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/mg8XS8n5ey
— Sun Devil W. Golf (@SunDevilWGolf) November 7, 2019
?? Best round of the day by a Sun Devil
— Sun Devil W. Golf (@SunDevilWGolf) October 1, 2019
?? Bogey-free over her final 17 holes
?? Second consecutive Top-15 finish
Good start to the season for Alessandra Fanali! ??
Learn more about Fanali by reading this story from the @statepress ??
?? https://t.co/mDEfg0kfbG pic.twitter.com/CLu8B6lUsI
A reflection of Coach Farr-Kaye and Coach Estill's recruiting efforts, Arizona State's lineup will feature six golfers all from a European country. Spain, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Sweden are all represented on the 2019-20 roster. Combining these cultures has created a unique bond between teammates and the coaching staff.
2020 SPRING PREVIEW
"The Spring semester is a new season and we add Amanda Linner to our lineup," Coach Farr-Kaye stated. "I truly believe we are the strongest six-woman team in the country. We have a really good schedule and we are excited to face all the top teams before we even get to NCAA Regionals and Nationals."
The Spring season begins this Sunday, January 26 as the Sun Devils stay in the state of Arizona. Superstition Mountain Golf Course is the scene of the one-day matchup with No. 20 UCLA and No. 50 Denver in Gold Canyon, Arizona. The three teams will play one 18-hole round starting at 9 am MST.
Returning to the site of the 2019 Pac-12 Championship, the Sun Devils will participate in the Northrup Grumman Regional Challenge. The tournament is in Palos Verdes, Calif. runs February 9-11 and features a loaded field. Olivia Mehaffey captured the Pac-12 Individual Championship at Palos Verdes Golf Club last April.
Arizona State will then head south of the border to take part in the Guadalajara International Invitational. The event hosted by Virginia runs February 16-18 and will take place at Guadalajara Country Club in Mexico.
The team will make its second trip of the season to Hawaii for the Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational. The University of Hawaii hosts the tournament at Kane'Ohe Klipper Golf Course on the island of Oahu running March 10-11.
The main event of the Spring happens in the Sun Devils' backyard, as ASU hosts the PING/ASU Invitational at their home course, Papago Golf Course in Phoenix. The final regular season tournament runs March 27-29 and will prepare the team for postseason play, as a strong field is littered with highly-ranked teams.
Postseason play begins at the Pac-12 Championships Apr. 24-26, hosted by Stanford. The Sun Devils have proven to be comfortable at Stanford Golf Course, previously winning the Stanford Intercollegiate in October.
NCAA Regionals are scheduled for May 11-13 and offer four possible destinations. 2020 Regional sites are Athens, Ga., South Bend Ind., Pullman, Wash., and Raleigh, NC. The NCAA Championship hosted by Arizona State at Grayhawk Golf Course in Scottsdale runs from May 22-27.
"This team is ready to go," Coach Farr-Kaye added. "They have a terrific mindset, they are strong and tough, and they love to compete. They have a tremendous love to compete which is such a fantastic asset to take with you on the golf course. We are really excited and can't wait to compete."
Spring Schedule
January 26 – vs. UCLA & Denver (Gold Canyon, AZ)
February 9-11 – Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge (Palos Verdes, CA)
February 16-18 – Guadalajara International Invitational (Guadalajara, Mexico)
March 10-11 – Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational (Oahu, HI)
March 27-29 – PING/ASU Invitational (Phoenix, AZ)
April 24-26 – Pac-12 Championship (Stanford, CA)
May 11-13 – NCAA Regionals (Athens/Notre Dame/Pullman/Raleigh)
May 22-27 – NCAA Championship (Scottsdale, AZ)
SUN DEVILS IN THE POLLS
Arizona State enters the Spring season ranked as the consensus No. 2 team in the country. The three major outlets that distribute a poll regularly throughout the season, Golfweek/Sagarin, Golfstat, and WGCA, all have the Sun Devils behind Texas in their final fall rankings. ASU is joined by fellow Pac-12 schools Arizona, Stanford, and USC in the Top-10, making the conference one of the strongest in the country.
The depth of the Maroon & Gold lineup is exemplified by the Golfstat Individual rankings, as all five Sun Devils rank in the Top-77 among the over 1,300 Division I golfers nationally. Leading the way is standout freshman Linn Grant, who ended the Fall season ranked No. 6 in the country. Joining Grant in the Top-50 nationally is sophomore Alexandra Forsterling, who comes in at No. 46 according to Golfstat. Raquel Olmos (59), Alessandra Fanali (63), and Olivia Mehaffey (77) make Arizona State the only program in the country with all five players ranked in Golfstat's Individual Top-77 rankings.Sun Devils are in ?????????? company... ????
— Sun Devil W. Golf (@SunDevilWGolf) November 22, 2019
The squad moves up a spot and sits at #?2? in the final @WGCAGOLF Coaches Poll of the Fall!?????? #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/lVpXrq50xh
LOOKING AHEAD
A reminder that Arizona State University and Grayhawk Golf Club will host the 2020 through 2022 NCAA Division I Men's & Women's Golf Championships on Golf Channel in Scottsdale, Ariz. "Hosting our first National Championship at Grayhawk is going to be a great way to round out the year," Coach Farr-Kaye mentioned. It becomes the first time a university and golf course will host the championships for three consecutive seasons. The Women's portion of the tournament will run May 22-27. It will be the first time ASU has hosted an NCAA Golf Championship since the women hosted in 1992.
HOW TO FOLLOW
For the latest updates and information on the Sun Devil Women's Golf program, follow our Twitter/Instagram platforms (@SunDevilWGolf), like our Facebook page (facebook.com/sundevilwgolf/), and our website (thesundevils.com).